Skywatchers in several parts of the world are set to witness the first solar eclipse of 2026, an annular “ring of fire” event that will dim the Sun.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun but appears slightly smaller than the Sun in the sky. This happens because the Moon travels in an elliptical orbit and is sometimes farther from Earth.
During this eclipse, the Moon will be near apogee, its farthest point from Earth, making its apparent diameter about 97 per cent of the Sun’s size. As a result, instead of completely blocking sunlight, the Moon will leave a bright ring of the Sun visible around its edges, creating the dramatic “ring of fire” effect.
The eclipse will unfold over several hours. The partial phase will begin at 3:27 PM IST, followed by the start of annularity at 5:14 PM IST over Antarctica.
The eclipse will reach its maximum at 5:43 PM IST, when about 92.7 per cent of the Sun will be obscured, and will end at 7:58 PM IST. At locations such as Antarctica’s Concordia research station, the annular phase will last just over two minutes.
WHERE WILL ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE BE VISIBLE?
The path of annularity is extremely narrow and crosses only parts of Antarctica.
A wider region will experience a partial eclipse, including the southern tips of Chile and Argentina, parts of South Africa, Mozambique, and Madagascar, and several islands in the Indian Ocean.
Scientists estimate that about 176 million people worldwide, roughly 2 perc ent of the global population, will be able to see at least a partial eclipse, though in many places the Sun will appear only slightly dimmed.
WILL THE ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE BE VISIBLE IN INDIA?
In India, the eclipse will not be visible, as the Sun will set before the event begins in the country.
However, astronomy organisations and platforms such as TimeandDate are expected to provide live coverage, allowing viewers to observe the phenomenon virtually.
Experts advise never looking directly at the Sun without ISO 12312-2 certified eclipse glasses, as even a partial or annular eclipse can cause serious eye damage.
The eclipse is part of Saros cycle 121 and will be followed by a total lunar eclipse on March 3, 2026, giving skywatchers another opportunity to observe a major astronomical event soon after.
