Stargazers can observe the annular solar eclipse, which will be visible from a remote part of Antarctica and will form a “ring of fire” for up to 2 minutes and 20 seconds, while 96% of the Sun’s center is eclipsed by the Moon. The event is particularly historic because it coincides with a total solar eclipse visible in parts of Europe.
Observers in the rest of Antarctica — including those on passenger ships on late-season tours — will see a partial eclipse, as will people in parts of southern Africa and the southern tip of South America.
The path for the February 17 annular solar eclipse will be confined to a remote area of Antarctica, so the event will be visible to almost no human.
About the event, eclipse meteorologist Jay Anderson wrote on his website: “It is possible that only a few people will see this eclipse from the annular zone.” “It is challenging to reach and there are only two inhabited sites within the annular shadow, neither of which are set up to welcome tourists,” he added.
Mid-February is nearing the end of Antarctica’s holiday cruise season, but a well-timed trip to the Antarctic Peninsula could provide an intriguing view of a partial solar eclipse.
On February 17, the best viewing location on land is expected to be a joint French-Italian research station that opened in 2005 and currently houses just 16 scientists.
The annular path for the February 17 annular solar eclipse – where the ring of fire will be clearly visible – is about 4,000 km long and 600 km wide.
The eclipse will rise over mainland Antarctica and reach the Davis Sea coast of the Southern Ocean. The 2026 solar eclipse provides a unique opportunity to observe the Sun’s photosphere in a “ring of fire” alignment.
