February 17, 2026 Annular Solar Eclipse: Visibility Map
A rare annular solar eclipse will occur on February 17, 2026, marking the first solar eclipse of the year. The event will be primarily visible over Antarctica and parts of the Southern Hemisphere, including regions of Southern Africa and the southern tips of South America. India will not be able to witness the eclipse. Skywatchers can follow live streams online to observe this significant astronomical event.
Ellofacts
A rare annular solar eclipse is set to take place on February 17, 2026, becoming the first solar eclipse of the year. The event has sparked interest among astronomy enthusiasts worldwide. However, it will not be visible from India because the eclipse path is confined mainly to Antarctica and select parts of the Southern Hemisphere.
As reported by EarthSky, the eclipse will start at 09:56 UTC, reaching its peak at 12:12 UTC. The annular phase will occur primarily over Antarctica, while nearby regions will experience a partial eclipse. Countries in Southern Africa—such as Cape Town and Durban in South Africa, along with Zimbabwe and Tanzania—are expected to witness partial visibility. The southernmost areas of Argentina and Chile may also briefly observe the eclipse. In addition, places like Mauritius and Namibia are likely to see a partial phase.
The February 17 solar eclipse will be visible in selected parts of the world.
India lies completely outside the eclipse’s shadow path, meaning skywatchers in the country will not be able to observe it directly. Although this may disappoint many enthusiasts, live online coverage from organisations like NASA will allow people to follow the celestial event virtually. Since eclipse visibility depends entirely on geographic alignment, this particular event favours observers in the Southern Hemisphere.
The next solar eclipse of 2026 is expected to occur on August 12.
