First solar eclipse of 2026 to create stunning 'ring of fire': When, where to watch

The world will experience the first solar eclipse of 2026 on Tuesday, February 17, which a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) scientist has named “ring of fire eclipse”.

According to Time and Date, only 2 percent of the world’s population will have a chance to observe the spectacular phenomenon.

According to the associate director for science communication in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, Dr. C. Alex Young, the eclipse occurs when “the moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun.”

Dr Young added that the moon will not be able to completely cover the sun’s disk due to it being too far in its orbit, adding, “this will result in a glowing ring of sunlight surrounding the moon’s dark silhouette, like a ‘ring of fire’.”

Who can watch Solar Eclipse 2026?

The annular solar eclipse’s ring of fire will be best visible from the skies over Antarctica. 

A partial eclipse will also be visible from the rest of the continent, as well as parts of Africa and South America. 

The eclipse is set to begin at 09:56 UTC.

According to NASA, the annular solar eclipses occur every one or two years and the next is expected on February 6, 2027, which will be visible from South America and Africa.

For the umbraphiles ( eclipse enthusiasts) residing in the United States (U.S.) the chance to observe an annular eclipse will be in 2039.