August 12th 2026 and into Thursday 13th is a feast for watchers of the skies. In our online Homestudy Course we call this the skill of ‘An Nealadoir’. But before the Sun has even risen above the eastern horizon we get six planets - Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in the eastern sky. Mars, Jupiter and Saturn can be easily visible to the naked eye, but Uranus and Neptune always require binoculars or a telescope, but all six gather.
What is happening for the actual eclipse is that the dark side of the Moon (the bit facing Earth) is between Earth and the Sun giving us an Earth-Moon-Sun alignment. This is the Moon blocking the Sunlight to Earth. The Moon is being illuminated by the Sun but this is not the side facing us here on Earth. In two weeks time after the Lughnasa Eclipse we get another partial eclipse with this 2nd alignment being the Moon-Earth-Sun. This is the Earth blocking the Sunlight to the Full Moon. It is one of those fantastic magic relationships in the skies - the size of the Moon and its distance from Earth means that in the exact circumstances the Moon can block out the light from the Sun 100% for a short while.
DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN
Details of the Eclipse
On Wednesday 12th at 18:12 or 12 minutes past 6 in the evening we can watch the beginning of a near total solar eclipse.
The peak of the eclipse (95% occultation) is at 19:10 just under an hour later and it should get a bit darker like thick heavy clouds blocking the Sun when there are no clouds about.
The end of the eclipse is at 20:05. The Sun and Dark Moon are together in the west near the horizon and just after they set, the bright star Shalinnis in Cú (aka Regulus in Leo) may become a day time star briefly - this is the ancient timing for calculating Lughnasa.
DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN
What is happening for the actual eclipse is that the dark side of the Moon (the bit facing Earth) is between Earth and the Sun giving us an Earth-Moon-Sun alignment. This is the Moon blocking the Sunlight to Earth. The Moon is being illuminated by the Sun but this is not the side facing us here on Earth. In two weeks time after the Lughnasa Eclipse we get another partial eclipse with this 2nd alignment being the Moon-Earth-Sun. This is the Earth blocking the Sunlight to the Full Moon. It is one of those fantastic magic relationships in the skies - the size of the Moon and its distance from Earth means that in the exact circumstances the Moon can block out the light from the Sun 100% for a short while.
DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN
Details of the Eclipse
On Wednesday 12th at 18:12 or 12 minutes past 6 in the evening we can watch the beginning of a near total solar eclipse.
The peak of the eclipse (95% occultation) is at 19:10 just under an hour later and it should get a bit darker like thick heavy clouds blocking the Sun when there are no clouds about.
The end of the eclipse is at 20:05. The Sun and Dark Moon are together in the west near the horizon and just after they set, the bright star Shalinnis in Cú (aka Regulus in Leo) may become a day time star briefly - this is the ancient timing for calculating Lughnasa.
DO NOT LOOK AT THE SUN
Venus may become visible (all depends on cloud cover) just after Sunset too but do not mistake its brilliant dazzle for a star - look closely and remember, planets shine and only stars twinkle. Look west, just where and after the Sun and Dark Moon and Shalinnis in Cú have all gone into the Otherworld. Some “experts” are claiming that Venus will be visible during peak eclipse but at only 95% occultation it may be that you’d need good equipment to see this extra event.
The Perseid Meteor Shower follows...
Later on, after the Sun, Moon Shallinnis, Venus have gone to the Otherworld, at 21:10 or 10 past nine , the blessing of shooting stars begins. Look 15* east of north and wait. The eclipse and Sun, Moon and Star set was in the west but the Perseids are to the north east. At 1 o’clock on Thursday, the 13th the center of the meteor shower radiant is at 45* east of north at an altitude of +41*. The Perseid meteor shower is active from 17 July to 24 August. It will peak overnight on on the night of the eclipse, 12-13 August. Because there is no Moonlight even more shooting stars than usual may be seen. Over a 100 shooting stars an hour are expected by many researchers / experts.
Never look directly at the Sun. Your eyes would not feel pain but your vision may be burned away. One of the safest and easiest ways to view the solar eclipse is with a pinhole projector: you can find detail of these safe methods at https://eclipse26.ie/activities/
Magically - the blocking of the Sun’s energy by the Moon causes a shift or increase in the Earth’s magnetic field - it may be understood as an on/off switch that happens every day to night and every night to new day. A time to let go of things and plans and people who are not on your Path by conscious choice. It is also the opportunity to call in (the carefully described) new energies by conscious choice. Simple powerful magic works best from the heart with spoken words and an image in the mind.
Happy Lughnasa, Sun and Moon Eclipse and watching shooting stars too, to everybody.
The Perseid Meteor Shower follows...
Later on, after the Sun, Moon Shallinnis, Venus have gone to the Otherworld, at 21:10 or 10 past nine , the blessing of shooting stars begins. Look 15* east of north and wait. The eclipse and Sun, Moon and Star set was in the west but the Perseids are to the north east. At 1 o’clock on Thursday, the 13th the center of the meteor shower radiant is at 45* east of north at an altitude of +41*. The Perseid meteor shower is active from 17 July to 24 August. It will peak overnight on on the night of the eclipse, 12-13 August. Because there is no Moonlight even more shooting stars than usual may be seen. Over a 100 shooting stars an hour are expected by many researchers / experts.
Never look directly at the Sun. Your eyes would not feel pain but your vision may be burned away. One of the safest and easiest ways to view the solar eclipse is with a pinhole projector: you can find detail of these safe methods at https://eclipse26.ie/activities/
Magically - the blocking of the Sun’s energy by the Moon causes a shift or increase in the Earth’s magnetic field - it may be understood as an on/off switch that happens every day to night and every night to new day. A time to let go of things and plans and people who are not on your Path by conscious choice. It is also the opportunity to call in (the carefully described) new energies by conscious choice. Simple powerful magic works best from the heart with spoken words and an image in the mind.
Happy Lughnasa, Sun and Moon Eclipse and watching shooting stars too, to everybody.
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