Ring of Fire Eclipse Concludes: Moon Slides Away, Total Solar Eclipses Vanishing

• The Surya Grahan, an annular solar eclipse, concluded on February 17, 2026, creating a dramatic "ring of fire."
• The peak of the eclipse obscured most of the solar disc, leaving a thin, brilliant ring of sunlight visible for up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
• The annular phase was observed in remote regions of Antarctica, where the moon appeared slightly smaller than the sun.
• The glowing ring was particularly slim and bright because the moon was near its apogee, its farthest point from Earth.
• Due to the moon drifting away at 3.8 centimeters per year, total solar eclipses will eventually vanish, leaving only annular and partial eclipses.