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Antarctic ‘Ring of Fire’ Eclipse Set for Feb. 17 as Spain Readies for August Totality

Annularity will last about two minutes along a remote Southern Ocean track, with partial views in southern Patagonia and parts of southern Africa.

Overview

  • Official schedules place the Feb. 17 annular eclipse from about 09:56 to 14:27 UTC, with the annular phase roughly 11:42–12:41 UTC and a maximum lasting about two minutes.
  • The bright ring will be confined to Antarctica and adjacent waters, while southern Argentina and Chile, plus portions of southern Africa and Madagascar, will see only a partial eclipse.
  • Experts describe the event as “extreme” because the Moon will be near apogee and cover around 96% of the Sun, producing a pronounced annulus over a very remote path.
  • Authorities urge ISO 12312-2–certified eye protection or proper solar filters and recommend following live streams in regions without visibility, with Mexico confirming no view of the February event.
  • The 2026 calendar also features a total solar eclipse on Aug. 12 crossing Greenland, Iceland and Spain, where Aragón is coordinating scientific work at Javalambre and tourism plans for large crowds.