Mallorca’s extraordinary week in the sky will not end when the total solar eclipse disappears below the horizon on Wednesday 12 August.

Just a few hours later, the Perseid meteor shower will reach its annual peak, giving the island the possibility of a spectacular celestial double bill. With a new Moon, dark skies and warm summer temperatures, 2026 should offer some of the best Perseid viewing conditions for years.

Here is what to expect, when to look up and how to give yourself the best chance of seeing the display.

When can you see the Perseids in Mallorca?

The Perseid meteor shower is active from mid-July until late August, but it reaches its peak around 12 and 13 August.

For Mallorca, the best viewing periods will be:

• The early hours of Wednesday 12 August
• Late on Wednesday 12 August and throughout the early hours of Thursday 13 August
• Particularly between midnight and approximately 05.30

The predicted astronomical peak falls during the afternoon of 13 August, when it will be daylight in Mallorca. However, meteor showers do not switch on and off at a particular moment. Strong activity should still be visible during the surrounding nights.

The number of visible meteors usually increases after midnight as the constellation Perseus rises higher in the sky. By around 04.00, the radiant, the point from which the meteors appear to originate, will be much higher and a greater proportion of the shower should be visible. The American Meteor Society suggests that approximately 90 per cent of Perseid activity can be seen by this time.

A total eclipse followed by a meteor shower

The timing makes this year’s Perseids particularly special for Mallorca.

On Wednesday evening, the island will experience a total solar eclipse. In Palma, the eclipse begins at approximately 19.38, with totality taking place at around 20.31 and lasting for roughly one minute and 36 seconds. Exact timings vary slightly across the island.

The Moon will be new that evening, which is what makes the solar eclipse possible. It also means there will be no bright moonlight to wash out the fainter meteors later that night.

Once the eclipse crowds have dispersed, the roads have settled and full darkness has arrived, anyone still awake can prepare for the second sky show of the night.

Please remember that eclipse glasses are essential when looking at the Sun during the eclipse, but they must be removed once totality has ended and should never be worn for meteor watching.

How many shooting stars could you see?

Under perfect, exceptionally dark conditions, the Perseids can produce up to 100 meteors per hour. That figure is a theoretical maximum rather than a promise.

The number you actually see will depend on:

• Cloud cover
• Light pollution
• Your viewing location
• The time of night
• How long you allow your eyes to adjust
• How much of the sky is visible from where you are sitting

From a genuinely dark part of Mallorca, observers may see several dozen meteors during a good hour. In towns, resorts and brightly lit coastal areas, the number is likely to be considerably lower.

The shower is also known for producing bright fireballs. These are larger and more luminous than the average meteor and can sometimes be seen even where there is some light pollution.

Where should you look?

The meteors appear to come from the constellation Perseus, which rises in the north-east during the evening and climbs higher as the night continues.

You do not need to identify Perseus to enjoy the display. In fact, staring directly at the radiant is not necessarily the best strategy because meteors close to it tend to have shorter trails.

Find the widest, darkest view of the sky available and look roughly halfway up, keeping Perseus towards the edge of your field of vision. Meteors can appear anywhere overhead.

Do not use binoculars or a telescope. They restrict your view to a tiny section of the sky. The best equipment for watching the Perseids is simply your own eyes.

Where to watch the Perseids in Mallorca

The best location will be somewhere safely away from streetlights, illuminated buildings and the glow of Palma and the larger resorts.

The rural interior, quieter coastal areas and open countryside can all provide good conditions. An elevated viewpoint may offer a wide horizon, but height is less important than darkness and an unobstructed view.

Choose your location carefully:

• Use an established, publicly accessible place
• Do not enter private land
• Avoid stopping on roads, bends or verges
• Never block emergency access
• Do not park on dry grass
• Keep away from cliffs and unstable ground
• Take all rubbish home with you

This is an exceptionally busy week for Mallorca. Some roads and viewing areas may be affected by eclipse traffic, restrictions or temporary closures. Check the latest local information before setting out and do not assume that a remote viewpoint will be accessible by car.

A terrace, garden or quiet beach close to your accommodation may provide a better and safer experience than joining another traffic queue to reach a supposedly perfect location.

How to see more meteors

Your eyes need time to adapt to darkness. Allow at least 20 to 30 minutes and avoid looking at your phone while you wait.

Even a quick glance at a bright screen can spoil your night vision. Turn the brightness down, use a red-screen setting if available or put the phone away completely.

Lie back so that you can see as much of the sky as possible. A sun lounger, reclining chair or blanket will be much more comfortable than standing with your head tilted backwards.

Meteor watching also requires patience. You may see nothing for several minutes and then spot two or three meteors in quick succession.

Give yourself at least an hour if possible.

What to bring

Mallorca may be extremely warm during the day, but sitting still outside in the early hours can feel surprisingly cool, particularly in exposed coastal or mountain areas.

Take:

• Water
• A light extra layer
• A reclining chair, mat or blanket
• A small red torch
• Insect repellent
• Suitable shoes
• A fully charged phone for emergencies
• A bag for your rubbish

The current forecast suggests very hot weather around 12 and 13 August, so hydration will remain important even at night. Check the latest forecast and any official weather warnings before leaving.

Can you photograph the Perseids with a phone?

Possibly, although meteor photography requires patience and a little luck.

Place the phone or camera on a tripod, select a night or manual mode and use a wide view of the sky. Avoid zooming in. Longer exposures may capture a meteor, but many photographs will contain only stars.

A camera with a wide-angle lens, high ISO setting and repeated exposures offers a better chance. Aim at least 45 degrees away from Perseus so that any meteor trails appear longer in the frame.

Most importantly, do not spend the entire night watching a screen. The experience is in seeing a brilliant meteor cross the Mallorcan sky when you least expect it.

What causes the Perseid meteor shower?

The Perseids are created when Earth passes through a stream of dust and debris left behind by Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle.

Most of the particles are extremely small, often no larger than a grain of sand. When they enter Earth’s atmosphere at high speed, they heat the surrounding air and produce the bright streaks we call meteors or shooting stars.

They appear to radiate from Perseus because of perspective, although the meteors themselves burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, around 100 kilometres above us. BBC Sky at Night Magazine has a helpful explanation of the science behind the shower.

If you miss the peak

Do not worry if clouds, tiredness or traffic spoil your plans on 12 August. Perseid activity continues after the peak, although meteor numbers gradually decline.

You may still see shooting stars on the nights immediately before and after 12 and 13 August. The combination of a new Moon and dark skies means the surrounding nights should remain worthwhile.

Mallorca is about to experience one of its most memorable astronomical events, followed only hours later by one of the year’s finest meteor showers.

Watch the eclipse safely, allow the roads to clear, find somewhere dark and comfortable, and keep looking up.

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