Rare Annular Solar Eclipse to Occur on February 17

A rare annular solar eclipse will be visible across parts of the globe on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, coinciding with the astronomical conjunction marking the beginning of the lunar month of Ramadan for the year 1447 AH.

According to astronomers, the eclipse will appear as an annular eclipse, often described as a “ring of fire," over Antarctica, where the Moon will cover most, but not all, of the Sun’s disk. 

At the peak of the event, about 96.3 percent of the Sun will be obscured, leaving a bright ring of sunlight visible around the Moon’s silhouette.

The annular phase will last approximately two minutes and 19.6 seconds, while the entire eclipse, from first contact to final contact, will span around four hours and 31 minutes. 

The path of annularity will stretch across a corridor roughly 615 kilometers wide.

Observers in other regions will witness the phenomenon as a partial solar eclipse. 

These areas include southern Africa, particularly Mozambique, parts of southern South America such as Chile and Argentina, as well as sections of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. The eclipse will not be visible from Egypt.

Astronomers note that annular solar eclipses occur when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun while it is near the farthest point in its orbit from Earth.

Because the Moon appears slightly smaller in the sky at that distance, it does not fully block the Sun, resulting in the distinctive ring-shaped appearance.

Solar eclipses also hold significance in lunar calendar calculations, as they take place only during the new moon phase. 

The moment of maximum eclipse corresponds closely with the birth of the new lunar month.

The next annular solar eclipse after this event is expected to occur on February 6, 2027.