Ring of Fire Eclipse 2026: Path of Annularity & Visibility Map
- On February 17, 2026, the Moon will pass in front of the Sun, creating an "ring of fire" solar eclipse.
- this is an annular solar eclipse - also known as a "ring of fire" eclipse - as the Moon covers the middle of the Sun (96% of the...
- Remember: a solar eclipse is never safe to view directly with the naked eye.
On February 17, 2026, the Moon will pass in front of the Sun, creating an “ring of fire” solar eclipse. but astronomy isn’t for the faint of heart: to see it in person, you’ll need to travel to Antarctica – and possibly even spend the night at a Russian research station. Not up for extreme cold (or extreme logistics)? Then follow the solar eclipse with the Eclipse Guide app. In this article you will read what makes this eclipse truly special… even if it is practically inaccessible to 99.9999% of humanity.
Contents
Table of Contents
- Contents
- Swift facts about the February 2026 solar eclipse
- What kind of eclipse is it?
- What time is the February 2026 solar eclipse?
- Is there a solar eclipse today?
- Will it get dark during this eclipse?
- Is it safe to look at the “ring of fire” without protection?
- Can I use my phone, binoculars, or telescope to look?
- What if I’m outside the visibility zone – how can I experience it anyway?
- When is the next solar eclipse after February 2026?
- AI Image Generation Faces New Copyright Challenges
Swift facts about the February 2026 solar eclipse
- Date: Tuesday, February 17, 2026
- Type: annular (ring-shaped) solar eclipse (“ring of fire”)
- Where the annularity is visible: remote Antarctica, the Southern Ocean
- Where a partial eclipse is visible: parts of southern africa and the extreme south of South America, plus a large part of Antarctica
- Time of the eclipse: from 09:56 GMT to 14:27 GMT
What kind of eclipse is it?
this is an annular solar eclipse – also known as a “ring of fire” eclipse - as the Moon covers the middle of the Sun (96% of the visible surface), while a luminous ring of sunlight remains visible along the edge (but only for observers within the narrow annularity zone).
Remember: a solar eclipse is never safe to view directly with the naked eye. Even when the Sun appears “almost covered”, the remaining sunlight is still bright enough to damage your eyes.
What time is the February 2026 solar eclipse?
Timeline of the eclipse
The annular phase is only visible over remote Antarctica and nearby oceanic areas – a trajectory so isolated that only a handful of observers within the path of annularity in Antarctica and the surrounding waters will experience the eclipse live.
Ironically, the path of annularity is quite wide by eclipse standards (approximately 616 km). By comparison, the path of the 2027 annular solar eclipse is 282 km wide. That eclipse will be visible over Chile and Argentina and will last for more than 7 minutes.
Best places to see the “ring of fire” solar eclipse in February 2026
If you could travel to Antarctica and position yourself precisely within the path of annularity, the Sun will transform into a thin ring for a few minutes. These are the limited locations where the “ring of fire” will be visible during the annular solar eclipse on February 17, 2026:
Mirny Station (Antarctica):
- Duration of annularity: 1 minute 52 seconds
- Time: 12:07 GMT
- Solar altitude: approximately 10° above the horizon
Concordia Research Station (antarctica):
- Duration of annularity: 2 minutes 1 second
- Time: 11:46 GMT
- Solar altitude: approximately 5° above the horizon
As you can see, even at the ”best” locations, the Sun is very low above the horizon – which means weather, haze, and local
De app Eclipse Guide is gemaakt om verduisteringen te volgen. Zoek je “is er vandaag een zonsverduistering?”, check dan de livekaart in de app – tik op het vergrootglas linksboven om een lijst met alle komende zonsverduisteringen te zien. Verduisteringen die vanaf jouw locatie zichtbaar zijn,krijgen een oog-icoon.
Lijst met 5 aanstaande maans- en zonsverduisteringen,hun data,tijdlijnen en zichtbaarheidskaarten. Controleer of je ze vanaf jouw locatie kunt zien.
- Een zeldzame ver
14:27 GMT. Local times depend on your location.
Is there a solar eclipse today?
That depends on the date and your location. the closest eclipse is the annular solar eclipse on February 17, 2026. Want to check if there’s an eclipse today and where it’s visible? Then use the Eclipse Guide app.
Will it get dark during this eclipse?
Not like during a total eclipse. Because this is an annular eclipse, the Sun is not completely covered: daylight dims, but it doesn’t get night.
Is it safe to look at the “ring of fire” without protection?
No. Never look directly at the Sun during an annular solar eclipse without proper sun protection. The exposed part of the Sun is still bright enough to damage your eyes. Use eclipse glasses with ISO 12312-2 or indirect viewing methods.
Can I use my phone, binoculars, or telescope to look?
Only if they have a suitable solar filter designed for that device (especially with binoculars and telescopes). Without a filter, you can cause permanent damage to your eyes and/or the equipment.
What if I’m outside the visibility zone – how can I experience it anyway?
Use an interactive eclipse map to follow the event live and look for livestreams closer to the date.
When is the next solar eclipse after February 2026?
The next solar eclipse after February 17, 2026 is the total solar eclipse of August 12, 2026.That will be
AI Image Generation Faces New Copyright Challenges
A recent legal analysis, finalized on January 23, 2026, reveals escalating concerns surrounding copyright infringement in AI-generated images. The core issue centers on the datasets used to train these artificial intelligence models, and whether their use constitutes fair use under current copyright law.
The analysis, conducted by the Digital Rights Institute, focuses on the complex interplay between training data and output. It highlights that AI models like Stable Diffusion and Midjourney are trained on billions of images scraped from the internet, many of which are protected by copyright. While developers argue this falls under fair use for transformative purposes, rights holders are increasingly challenging this claim.
Key Findings:
- Copyright Claims: Getty Images filed 50 lawsuits in 2025 against AI image generators,alleging direct copyright violations.
- Fair Use Debate: The U.S. Copyright Office issued guidance in December 2025 stating that AI-generated images are not copyrightable unless there is notable human input in the creation process.
- Dataset Transparency: A coalition of artists and photographers is demanding greater transparency regarding the datasets used to train AI models. They are calling for a publicly accessible database listing all images used for training.
- Potential Liability: Legal experts predict that AI developers could face significant financial penalties if found liable for copyright infringement. Estimates range from $10 million to $150 million per violation, depending on the scale of the infringement.
The legal landscape is rapidly evolving. Several class-action lawsuits are currently underway, and the courts are grappling with how to apply existing copyright law to this new technology. The outcome of these cases will have a profound impact on the future of AI image generation and the rights of artists and creators.
“The current situation is unsustainable,” says Dr. Anya Sharma, lead researcher at the Digital Rights Institute. ”AI developers cannot simply ignore copyright law and claim fair use as a blanket defense. They need to find ways to respect the rights of creators and ensure that their models are trained on legally obtained data.”
The debate extends beyond legal considerations. Many artists express concerns that AI-generated images are devaluing their work and undermining their livelihoods. The rise of AI image generation has sparked a broader conversation about the role of creativity in the digital age.