SOLAR ECLIPSE · WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2026
Yes. 15.9% of the Sun will be covered from Boston.
The August 12, 2026 partial solar eclipse in Boston begins at 1:01 PM, reaches its maximum at 1:54 PM when 15.9% of the Sun is covered, and ends at 2:45 PM EDT. The Sun stands 59° high in the south-southwest at maximum, so you need certified eclipse glasses for every minute of it.
EYE SAFETY: READ BEFORE YOU LOOK
A partial eclipse is never safe to look at unprotected
- Never look at the partially eclipsed Sun with bare eyes.Sunglasses are not protection, not even several pairs stacked, no matter how dark.
- Use ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer, checked for scratches or damage before every use.
- Never point a camera, telescope, or binoculars at the Sun while wearing eclipse glasses: concentrated sunlight destroys the filter and your eyes. Optics need their own solar filter mounted on the front of the instrument.
- No glasses? Pinhole projection is the safe indirect method: cross your fingers into a waffle and watch the crescent Suns on the ground, even the gaps between tree leaves act as natural pinholes.
SAME NIGHT
Make it a double feature
Maximum eclipse is 1:54 PM; after dark that same night, the Perseid meteor shower (the year's best) peaks over Boston under a moonless sky.
Perseids over Boston that night →Common questions
Where should I look?
Face south-southwest (SSW): the Sun stands 59° above the horizon at maximum eclipse, at 1:54 PM local time. Never look at it without ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses; ordinary sunglasses are not protection, no matter how dark.
What time exactly is the eclipse in Boston?
First contact is at 1:01 PM, maximum eclipse at 1:54 PM, and last contact at 2:45 PM local time on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, 104 minutes from start to finish.
Do I need eclipse glasses?
Yes. For every second of it. Even at maximum, 84.1% of the Sun's surface is still blazing over Boston, far more than enough to damage your eyes. Use ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer.
Will clouds block it?
The latest forecast shows 17% cloud cover over Boston at maximum eclipse (1:54 PM). Forecasts firm up as the day approaches; check back the evening before for the final call.