2026 brings two rare Solar Eclipses: Your complete guide to viewing

Skygazers are set to witness the first of two solar eclipses scheduled for this year on February 17. This upcoming celestial event will be an annular solar eclipse, occurring when the Moon is at its farthest point from Earth. A second event, a total solar eclipse, is expected to follow on August 12.

Understanding the annular eclipse

An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Moon, and Earth align while the Moon is near its apogee, or the farthest point in its orbit. Because of this distance, the Moon appears smaller in the sky and cannot completely obscure the Sun. This positioning leaves the outer edges of the Sun visible, creating a bright "ring of fire" effect. This differs from a total solar eclipse, where the Moon is closer to Earth and briefly blocks the Sun entirely to create totality.

Timing and visibility

The annular eclipse is scheduled to begin at 3:26 p.m. IST and will reach its peak at approximately 5:42 p.m. IST. However, the event will not be visible from India. The path of annularity is restricted to Antarctica in the Southern Hemisphere. While India misses out on the direct view, partial phases of the eclipse will be visible in parts of Africa, South America, and across the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.

How to watch from India

Since the eclipse cannot be viewed from the Indian subcontinent, enthusiasts can turn to digital platforms. Space agencies like NASA and organizations such as the Virtual Space Telescope will provide live coverage of the event via their YouTube channels and official websites.

Total solar eclipse in August

The total solar eclipse on August 12 will also remain invisible to observers in India. The path of totality for the August event will pass through Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and a small portion of Portugal. Residents in parts of Europe, Africa, and North America will be able to see a partial eclipse, but Indian skies will not feature the event.