Ring of Fire Solar Eclipse to Dazzle Antarctica in February 2026

Partial eclipse views also possible in parts of Africa and South America

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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A 'ring of fire' solar eclipse will be visible on Tuesday, February 18, 2026, with the best views in Antarctica and partial eclipse views in Africa and South America. The event, also called an annular solar eclipse, occurs when the moon passes directly between the Earth and the sun, but the moon is too far away in its orbit to completely cover the sun's disk, resulting in a glowing ring of sunlight surrounding the moon's dark silhouette.

Why it matters

Annular solar eclipses happen every one to two years, but many are not visible from most parts of the world. This event will be the first eclipse of 2026, and the next opportunity to see an annular eclipse in the United States will not be until 2039.

The details

The best view of the ring of fire will be from a sliver of Antarctica, with a partial eclipse visible from the rest of the icy continent, as well as parts of Africa and South America. The annular eclipse will be most dramatic at Concordia Station, Antarctica, beginning at 6:48 p.m. local time (6:42 a.m. ET) and peaking at 7:47 p.m. local time (7:12 a.m. ET), according to Time and Date. The event will last around two hours.

  • The annular solar eclipse will occur on Tuesday, February 18, 2026.
  • The eclipse will be most dramatic at Concordia Station, Antarctica, beginning at 6:48 p.m. local time (6:42 a.m. ET) and peaking at 7:47 p.m. local time (7:12 a.m. ET).
  • The event will last around two hours.

The players

C. Alex Young

Associate director for science communication in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

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What they’re saying

“It's all a matter of geometry. You have to be in exactly the right spot along the narrow path of annularity to see it, which makes witnessing an eclipse like this so rare.”

— C. Alex Young, Associate director for science communication in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (CNN)

What’s next

The next annular solar eclipse will be visible on February 6, 2027, with larger swaths of South America and Africa able to see the partial eclipse.

The takeaway

This rare 'ring of fire' solar eclipse will be a must-see event for astronomy enthusiasts, but with the best views limited to a small region of Antarctica, most people will need to rely on livestream footage to witness this celestial spectacle.