Sliver of solar eclipse will be visible from Ottawa
Posted Aug 12, 2026 11:29:25 AM.
Last Updated Aug 12, 2026 12:35:38 PM.
A partial solar eclipse will be visible across the Maritimes, Ontario, Quebec and other parts of Canada today as the annual Perseid meteor shower also reaches its peak this week.
The Canadian Space Agency says the partial eclipse will be visible across the country, but its timing and amount will differ from one location to another.
In the nation’s capital, the sun will have a 15 per cent chunk taken out of it. The event in Ottawa will begin at 1:42 p.m. and ends at 2:33 p.m.
The agency says partial eclipses happen when the moon passes between Earth and the sun and covers part of our star, and they should be viewed with special glasses to prevent eye damage.
Adding to the cosmic wonder, Wednesday begins with six of our neighboring planets forming an arc in the sky before dawn and ends with the Perseid meteor shower peaking after nightfall under the new moon, according to the Associated Press. Streaking meteors could photobomb, with some of the brighter planets and stars visible in the background.
Meanwhile, skywatchers will be able to see the Perseid meteor shower until Friday with up to 100 shooting stars per hour, compared to about five on an average night.
Visibility through cloud coverage may be difficult for those in the nation’s capital, as there is a 60 per cent risk of showers and a thunderstorm.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 12, 2026.
