Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. HOME News Politics Royal Showbiz & TV Sport Finance Travel Life & Style Shopping UK Royal Weather Politics Defence World US Science History Weird Nature InYourArea This type of eclipse happens when the Moon moves directly between Earth and the Sun. 23:01, Mon, Feb 16, 2026 Updated: 23:13, Mon, Feb 16, 2026
The first solar eclipse of the year will grace Earth on February 17. (Image: Getty)
The first solar eclipse of 2026 will happen on Tuesday, February 17, bringing with it a rare annular event — the striking “ring of fire” — visible only along a slim corridor cutting across Antarctica. For those within this path, it offers a brief but extraordinary view of one of the year’s standout celestial spectacles. This type of eclipse, known as an annular solar eclipse, happens when the Moon moves directly between Earth and the Sun but is positioned too far from our planet to cover the Sun completely. As a result, a thin, brilliant ring of sunlight remains visible around the Moon’s silhouette.
Britons in the UK won’t be able to enjoy the ‘Ring of Fire’, but as for any eclipse, experts have urged people not to look at the phenomenon with the naked eye. According to experts, staring directly at the sun is hazardous, even when most of its surface is obscured, so proper eclipse glasses are essential. These specialised viewers filter out harmful ultraviolet rays and block nearly all visible light, offering protection that ordinary sunglasses or binoculars simply cannot provide. Genuine eclipse glasses should indicate compliance with the ISO 12312‑2 safety standard, though experts warn that counterfeit products may falsely display this label.
The phenomenon will begin at 9.56am UTC and ends at 2.28pm UTC.
THIS IS A LIVE BLOG. READ BELOW FOR THE COVERAGE.
1 hour ago23:01 Astha Saxena
Who all can watch it? Heard and McDonald Islands, Australia – 88%
French Southern and Antarctic Lands, France – 88%
Mascarene Islands, Mauritius/France – 35%
Port Louis, Mauritius – 32%
Saint-Denis, Reunion, France – 31%
Antananarivo, Madagascar – 20%
Durban, South Africa – 16%
Maputo, Mozambique – 13%
Maseru, Lesotho – 11%
Gaborone, Botswana – 4%
Harare, Zimbabwe – 3%
Ushuaia, Argentina – 3%
1 hour ago22:48 Astha Saxena
When will it take place? The phenomenon will begin at 9.56am UTC and ends at 2.28pm UTC.
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2 hours ago22:47 Astha Saxena
What is the ‘Ring of Fire’? The “ring of fire” is the striking visual effect that occurs during an annular solar eclipse, when the Moon moves in front of the Sun but doesn’t cover it completely.
Because the Moon is slightly farther from Earth at that moment, it appears too small to block the entire solar disk.
Instead, a thin, brilliant circle of sunlight remains visible around the Moon’s dark silhouette, creating the appearance of a glowing ring in the sky
2 hours ago22:11 Astha Saxena
Welcome to our blog! Welcome to our blog! We will bring you all the latest updates about the event. Stay with us!
https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/2171757/solar-eclipse-live-ring-of-fire
