That’s right! On February 17, 2026, the first solar eclipse of the year will occur, an annular eclipse that will create the fascinating visual effect known as the “Ring of Fire.”

Here’s everything you need to know about this rare event:

What is the Ring of Fire?

Unlike a total eclipse, in an annular eclipse, the Moon is at a point in its orbit farther from Earth (near apogee). For this reason, its apparent diameter is slightly smaller than that of the Sun: the Moon covers the center of the star but leaves the outer edge uncovered, creating a bright, brilliant ring.

Where and when will it be visible?
Unfortunately for us, the spectacle will be reserved for very few observers:

The annular band: The complete ring will be visible only in a narrow strip crossing remote areas of Antarctica and the southern Indian Ocean. One of the few “inhabited” places from which it will be visible will be the Italian-French Concordia scientific station.
Partial eclipse: In partial form (the Sun will appear “bitten”), the event will be visible from the southernmost regions of South America (Chile and Argentina), Africa (South Africa, Namibia), and Australia.
In Italy: The eclipse of February 17th will not be visible from Italy. However, we can console ourselves by following the live streams organized by the world’s major astronomical observatories.
Times (in Italian time)
The phenomenon will follow this schedule:

Partial eclipse start: 10:56
Annular phase start: 11:42
Eclipse maximum: 13:12 (when the Ring of Fire will be perfect)
Annular phase end: 14:41
Partial eclipse end: 15:27

Curiosity and other events
This date is not only special for astronomy: the New Moon on February 17th will also mark the start of the Chinese New Year (the Year of the Fire Horse) and will bring forward the start of the holy month of Ramadan by a few hours.

If you’re expecting an eclipse visible from our latitudes, mark August 12, 2026, on your calendar: on that day, we will witness a total solar eclipse. In Italy, it will be visible as a partial eclipse, but with a very impressive coverage (up to 70% in the North).

Would you like me to add a reminder to your calendar to watch the Ring of Fire livestream on February 17th?