First Solar Eclipse of 2026: 'Ring of Fire' to Dazzle, But Not in India

• The first solar eclipse of 2026, an annular solar eclipse known as the “Ring of Fire,” will occur on Tuesday, February 17.
• An annular eclipse happens when the Moon is at its farthest point from Earth, appearing smaller and creating a bright ring of sunlight around its edges.
• The eclipse will begin at 07:01 UTC (12:31 PM IST), with the “Ring of Fire” visible from 11:42 UTC (5:12 PM IST) and peaking at 12:12 UTC (5:42 PM IST) for about 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
• Unfortunately, this celestial event will not be visible from India as it occurs in the Southern Hemisphere when the Sun is below the horizon in India.
• The eclipse will be visible in parts of Antarctica, Argentina, Botswana, Chile, South Africa, and other Southern Hemisphere regions, and will be live-streamed by NASA and other astronomy websites.