Ring of Fire Annular Solar Eclipse

The annular solar eclipse of February 17, 2026, will be a remote and challenging event to witness, with the "Ring of Fire" phenomenon primarily visible only over a narrow path in Antarctica. This type of eclipse is nicknamed a "Ring of Fire" because the Moon, which passes directly in front of the Sun, is near its apogee (farthest point from Earth). Because of this distance, the Moon's apparent diameter is slightly smaller than the Sun's, preventing it from completely covering the solar disk. This leaves a bright, brilliant ring of sunlight—the annulus—visible around the Moon's silhouette.