WorldClockTools.
Sun Annular Solar Eclipse2026-02-17Archived referenceNASA Saros 121

Annular Solar Eclipse of 2026-02-17

Path of annularity crosses Antarctica only; partial phases visible across Argentina, Chile, southernmost Africa, and the Falkland Islands.

Saros 121 brings the annular path entirely over Antarctica; only Antarctic stations see the ring of fire, while South America gets a deep partial.

Greatest eclipse occurred at 2026-02-17T12:13:06Z

Peak UTC

12:13:06

2026-02-17

Magnitude

0.963

Sun diameter

Max duration

2m 20s

central line

Obscuration

92.6%

Sun area covered

Saros

#121

60 of 71

Gamma

-0.974

Shadow axis (Earth-radii)

Path and visibility

Antarctica, southern tip of South America, southern South Atlantic, southern Indian Ocean

Central path crosses

Antarctica

Visible from

AntarcticaArgentinaChileFalkland Islands

Watch the annularity from

Cities from the WorldClockTools clock catalog that fall in the central path or partial-eclipse band. Each link goes to the local clock page for that city.

Partial-eclipse zone

Astronomical context

NASA Saros series
Saros 121 - 60 of 71
Magnitude (NASA)
0.963 - fraction of Sun diameter eclipsed
Obscuration
92.6% of the Sun's disc area covered at greatest eclipse
Gamma
-0.9743 - shadow-axis offset from Earth's center (Earth-radii)
Max central duration
2m 20s

Observation and photography

Every phase of a solar eclipse outside of totality requires ISO 12312-2 certified solar viewing glasses or an equivalent solar filter on every optical instrument (telescope, binoculars, camera lens). The same standard applies to annular solar eclipses. Glasses can come off only during the brief totality window on the central path; they must go back on the instant Baily's beads reappear at third contact.

Central-line duration is 2m 20s. A typical imaging plan brackets exposures from ~1/1000s for the chromosphere and Baily's beads down to ~2s for the outer corona, fired in a programmable sequence so the observer can watch with the naked eye for at least the middle third of totality.

Local sun altitude, the path crossing time of day, and recent weather climatology drive site selection. NASA's interactive eclipse map (linked below) gives the exact altitude and time for any coordinates on the path.

Frequently asked questions

Where will the annular solar eclipse of 2026-02-17 be visible?
The path of annularity crosses Antarctica. Partial phases are visible from Antarctica, Argentina, Chile, Falkland Islands.
What time will the 2026-02-17 annular solar eclipse reach greatest eclipse?
Greatest eclipse occurs at 12:13 UTC on 2026-02-17 (Coordinated Universal Time). To convert to local time for your city, the conversion uses the IANA timezone for that locale — the WorldClockTools eclipse-calendar page surfaces the conversion automatically for any of the listed cities.
How long will annularity last during the 2026-02-17 eclipse?
Maximum annularity on the central line lasts 2m 20s. Observers off the central line see shorter durations; NASA's interactive map gives the local figure for any coordinates.
When is the next solar eclipse after the 2026-02-17 annular solar eclipse?
The next solar eclipse after 2026-02-17 is the total solar eclipse on 2026-08-12 (17:47 UTC). It will be visible from greenland, iceland, northern spain — partial across europe, north africa, and northeastern north america.
Do I need eclipse glasses to watch the 2026-02-17 annular solar eclipse?
Yes — for any solar eclipse (partial, annular, or total), looking directly at the Sun without ISO 12312-2 certified solar viewing glasses or an equivalent solar filter is unsafe and can cause permanent retinal damage. During totality only — the brief window when the Moon completely covers the Sun on the central line — it is safe to look at the eclipsed Sun with the naked eye, but glasses MUST go back on the moment Baily's beads reappear.
What is the Saros series for the 2026-02-17 annular solar eclipse?
Annular Solar Eclipse of 2026-02-17 is member 60 of 71 of NASA Saros series 121. Each Saros series produces an eclipse every 18 years 11 days, with successive members shifted roughly 120 degrees west in longitude. Saros series typically span 12 to 15 centuries and contain 70 to 80 eclipses each.

Eclipse data depth

What the annular solar eclipse entry signals

A compact read of the NASA catalog row: Saros context, magnitude / obscuration math, path geometry, and the city / country cross-references that pair annular solar eclipse with WorldClockTools local-clock pages.

Saros series context

Annular Solar Eclipse 2026-02-17 is member 60 of 71 of NASA Saros series 121. Each Saros member repeats roughly every 18 years 11 days, shifted ~120 degrees west, so adjacent members in the same series land on different continents.

Magnitude and obscuration

Magnitude is 0.963 (NASA convention: fraction of Sun diameter eclipsed), and the Sun's area is obscured by 92.6%. Magnitude is the diameter ratio; obscuration is the area ratio — both come from the same NASA prediction.

Duration on the central line

Maximum totality / annularity duration is 2m 20s on the central line. Off-central observers see shorter duration; precise local duration is on NASA's interactive map.

Path and visibility footprint

The central path crosses antarctica. Partial phases reach a wider 4-country zone in the current catalog cut.

City cross-references

Cross-referenced cities in the WorldClockTools catalog that fall in the path or partial band: Punta Arenas, Stanley, and Buenos Aires. Each city has its own clock page; pairing the eclipse time with the local clock gives the immediate local-time answer.

Gamma and geometry

Gamma is -0.9743 — the lateral distance of the Moon's shadow axis from Earth's center at greatest eclipse, in Earth-radii. |gamma| < 1.0 places the shadow axis on the Earth disc — a central eclipse with a true path of totality or annularity.

What is notable

Saros 121 brings the annular path entirely over Antarctica; only Antarctic stations see the ring of fire, while South America gets a deep partial.

Catalog handoff

Next solar eclipse handoff: total solar eclipse 2026 08 12. Next eclipse of any kind: total lunar eclipse 2026 03 03. The full eclipse calendar lists 14 upcoming events.

Editorial dossier

No editorial dossier is attached; the page renders programmatic NASA-derived facts only, with no curated commentary.
Eclipse predictions are deterministic from JPL ephemerides — but local circumstances (exact path edge, sun altitude, weather) change with the kilometer. The NASA interactive map linked below gives precise local circumstances for any coordinates.

Data source: NASA / JPL

Eclipse data from NASA/JPL — Fred Espenak & Jean Meeus, Five Millennium Canon of Solar Eclipses and Five Millennium Canon of Lunar Eclipses (NASA Technical Publications NASA/TP–2006-214141 and NASA/TP–2009-214172). Public domain; re-published here with attribution.

NASA page for this eclipse (path map & circumstances)eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov

Greatest eclipse: February 17, 2026 at 12:13 UTC

Other upcoming eclipses