“Ring of fire” solar eclipse to mark first eclipse of 2026
An annular solar eclipse, often called a “ring of fire,” will take place on February 17, marking the first eclipse of 2026, a Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
During an annular eclipse, the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun but is too far from Earth to completely cover the Sun’s disk. As a result, a bright outer ring of sunlight remains visible at maximum eclipse.
According to Time and Date, the eclipse will unfold in Astana time (GMT+5) as follows: the partial eclipse will begin at 14:56, maximum “ring of fire” annularity will occur at 17:12, and the partial eclipse will end at 19:27. At the point of greatest eclipse, the “ring of fire” effect will last up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds.
However, only around 2% of the world’s population will be able to observe the annular phase directly. The best view will be from a narrow corridor over Antarctica, approximately 4,282 kilometers long and 616 kilometers wide, where the Moon will cover about 96% of the Sun’s disk. A partial eclipse will be visible from other parts of Antarctica, as well as regions of southern Africa and the southernmost areas of South America.
Annular solar eclipses occur roughly every one to two years, though many are visible only in limited regions. The next annular eclipse is expected on February 6, 2027, with broader visibility across South America and Africa. However, the next solar eclipse will be a total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026.
Last September, a rare total lunar “blood Moon” eclipse was observed in Astana, when the Moon entered Earth’s shadow and briefly turned red.
