Total solar eclipse to bypass Saudi Arabia as Perseid meteor shower lights up Kingdom’s skies

According to the Jeddah Astronomy Society, the upcoming total solar eclipse scheduled for Wednesday will not be visible from Saudi Arabia. Majed Abu Zahra, head of the society, confirmed that while the celestial event will be observable from regions including Russia, Greenland, Iceland, and parts of northern Spain and Portugal, it will not reach totality within the Kingdom or any other Arab nation.

The eclipse is expected to begin globally at 15:34 GMT, with the period of totality commencing at 16:58 GMT. The peak of the event is projected for 17:46 GMT, lasting approximately two minutes and 18 seconds before concluding its total phase at 18:34 GMT. A partial eclipse will be visible from select areas in North and West Africa, including Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, and Libya, before the event concludes globally at 19:57 GMT.

Despite the lack of visibility for the solar eclipse, residents in Saudi Arabia can look forward to the Perseid meteor shower, which is set to light up the skies from Wednesday night through dawn on Thursday. The Perseids are considered one of the most prominent annual meteor displays, offering a significant viewing opportunity for astronomy enthusiasts in the region.