An annular solar eclipse will occur on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, creating a “ring of fire” effect as the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun. While the full annular eclipse will be visible only from Antarctica, portions of the Southern Hemisphere will experience a partial eclipse.
The eclipse will begin its visible phase at approximately 6:42 a.m. Eastern Time, according to timeanddate.com. The greatest eclipse, where the Moon is centered on the Sun, will occur at 12:13:06 UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) on February 17th, as detailed by Wikipedia.
An annular eclipse differs from a total solar eclipse. In an annular eclipse, the Moon is farther from Earth in its orbit and appears smaller, failing to completely cover the Sun. This results in a bright ring of sunlight surrounding the Moon. Conversely, a total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is closer to Earth and fully obscures the Sun.
The path of annularity – the area where the “ring of fire” is visible – will cross remote parts of Antarctica, including the Concordia Research Station, a French-Italian facility, and the Russian Mirny Station, according to EarthSky. The American McMurdo Station will observe a deep partial eclipse, with approximately 86% of the Sun being obscured.
Outside of Antarctica, a partial eclipse will be visible from the southern tip of South America, specifically parts of Argentina and Chile, as well as from much of southern Africa, including South Africa, Mozambique, and Madagascar. Other locations with partial eclipse visibility include Lesotho, Mauritius, Réunion, and Madagascar, as reported by timeanddate.com.
Safe viewing of any solar eclipse, even an annular one, requires proper eye protection. NASA recommends using solar viewing glasses or creating a pinhole projector using a cardboard box to indirectly view the eclipse. Looking directly at the Sun, even during an annular eclipse, can cause serious and permanent eye damage.
The Moon will be near apogee – its farthest point from Earth – during the eclipse, occurring on February 10, 2026, at 16:50 UTC. It will be approaching perigee – its closest point to Earth – on February 24, 2026, at 23:15 UTC, according to Wikipedia. This distance contributes to the annular nature of the eclipse.
