Solar eclipse LIVE: ‘Ring of Fire’ to hit in hours | Science | News

The first solar eclipse of 2026 will occur on Tuesday, February 17, bringing with it a rare annular event (the striking “ring of fire”) visible only along a thin corridor cutting across Antarctica. For those along the way, it offers a brief but spectacular glimpse of one of the year’s standout skyscapes. This type of eclipse, known as an annular solar eclipse, occurs when the Moon moves directly between the Earth and the Sun but is positioned too far from our planet to completely block the Sun. As a result, a thin, bright ring of sunlight remains visible around the Moon’s silhouette.

Britons in the UK will not be able to enjoy the ‘Ring of Fire’, but experts on any eclipse have urged people not to look at the phenomenon with the naked eye. According to experts, proper solar eclipse glasses are essential as looking directly at the sun is dangerous even if most of its surface is covered. These special glasses filter out harmful ultraviolet rays and block out almost all visible light, providing protection that ordinary sunglasses or binoculars cannot provide. Original eclipse glasses must indicate compliance with the ISO 12312-2 safety standard, but experts warn that fake products may mistakenly display this label.

This event will start at 9.56 UTC and end at 14.28 UTC.

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