Mumbai, February 18: The first celestial spectacle of 2026 arrived on Tuesday, February 17, as an annular solar eclipse (surya grahan) swept across the Southern Hemisphere. While the full "Ring of Fire" was primarily visible only to a few scientists and explorers in remote Antarctica, the event sparked a global digital phenomenon. By Tuesday evening, social media platforms were flooded with photos and high-definition live-stream captures, ranging from the perfect fiery halo seen at the South Pole to dramatic crescent suns observed from the southern tips of Africa and South America.

A Rare View from the Frozen Continent

The path of annularity - the narrow track where the Moon perfectly centers itself against the Sun - covered a 383-mile-wide corridor across East Antarctica. At its peak around 12:12 UTC, the Moon covered approximately 96 per cent of the solar disk. Surya Grahan 2026: Google Releases ‘Ring of Fire’ Animation for Annular Solar Eclipse on Search Page.

Because the central path was limited to uninhabited or research-heavy regions, the most striking images came from stations like Concordia and Mirny, where small groups of researchers documented the 2-minute-and-20-second annularity. Aerial observers on chartered "eclipse flights" from Australia also shared rare perspective shots of the Moon's shadow trailing across the Antarctic ice shelf.

Netizens Share Photos of Annular Solar Eclipse 2026

Photos Capturing Today’s Annular Solar Eclipse

Ring of Fire Captured Over Antarctica

Annular ‘Ring of Fire’ Solar Eclipse Swept Over Remote Antarctica

Partial Views Across the Southern Hemisphere

While the "Ring of Fire" was elusive, over 170 million people lived within the zone of a partial eclipse. Residents in Cape Town, South Africa, and Punta Arenas, Chile, shared images of the Sun appearing as a sharp, glowing sliver during the afternoon.

The Digital Eclipse Experience

For the majority of the world, including India, Europe, and North America, the event remained below the horizon. However, space agencies like NASA and organisations like Time and Date provided live-streamed coverage, allowing millions to participate virtually. The hashtag #SolarEclipse2026 trended throughout the day, featuring a mix of professional astrophotography and "pinhole projector" photos - a safe DIY method where the crescent sun is projected onto the ground using a piece of cardboard.

Looking Ahead: The Total Eclipse of August

The February 17 event serves as a "celestial warm-up" for the more accessible Total Solar Eclipse scheduled for August 12, 2026. That event is expected to draw millions of tourists to Greenland, Iceland, and Northern Spain, where the Sun will be completely obscured, revealing the solar corona.

TruLY Score by LatestLY
Rating:2

TruLY Score 2 – Unverified | On a Trust Scale of 0-5 this article has scored 2 on LatestLY. It relies on a single source or posts by social media users, with no independent verification. The content should be viewed with caution and should not be shared without further validation from credible sources.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 18, 2026 07:58 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).