August 2026 is shaping up to be a period of incredible stargazing in Chicago—the city will experience not one, but two eclipses in a single month.
Here’s what to know.
Agust solar and lunar eclipses in Chicago
Both a solar and lunar eclipse will be visible over Chicago on two separate dates this August.
First, a partial solar eclipse will occur on Wednesday, August 12, peaking at 12:28 p.m.
Unfortunately for the Windy City, the partial solar eclipse will be microscopic in its visibility at a magnitude of only .010.
But no fear, we’ll have an additional eclipse opportunity later in the month—and this one will be much more significant.
From August 27–28, a near-total lunar eclipse will occur.
The lunar eclipse will peak at 11:12 p.m. on August 27, with an almost full magnitude of .93.
This means the eclipse will be highly visible to the naked eye, provided skies are clear that evening.
Where to watch
For the best view of an eclipse, you’ll want to head to an area of low light pollution. There’s no better place to do just that than Chicago’s sprawling lakefront.
We recommend heading to a far-removed spot like the Adler Planetarium peninsula or Montrose Moonrise Observation Point for the best view.
Learn more about next month’s eclipses here.
