First solar eclipse of 2026 on Feb 17: When, where and how to watch it in India?

The year 2026 brings not one, but two solar eclipses, the annular solar eclipse on February 17 and the total solar eclipse on August 12.

Skygazers are in for a treat this year as they' will get to witness not one, but two solar eclipses. The first of the them - an annular solar eclipse - will happen on February 17 when the Moon will be at its farthest distance from Earth. The second, a total solar eclipse will occur on August 12 when the Moon will be at or near its closest point to our planet.

What is an annular solar eclipse?

The Moon orbits Earth in an oval path and when they align in a straight line with the Sun, we get an eclipse. The type of eclipses differ depending on the position of the Moon around its Earth orbit.

During an annular solar eclipse, when the three bodies line up, the Moon is at or near its farthest distance from the our planet. Due to its position, the Moon is unable to fully block the Sun, revealing the bright edges of the Sun and giving it a 'ring of fire' effect.

During a total solar eclipse, the Moon is relatively closer and completely covers the Sun which gives us totality - the brief period of complete darkness.

The annular eclipse will begin at 3:26 p.m. IST and it will reach its peak around 5:42 pm IST.

Will it be visible in India?

Unfortunately, no. The annular solar eclipse will not be visible in India directly because its path of annularity will pass over Antarctica in the southern hemisphere. However, NASA says regions in Africa, South America, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean will be able to witness a partial eclipse.

You can still watch the event via livestreams organised by space agencies such as NASA or independent organisations like Virtual Space Telescope on YouTube.

What about the total solar eclipse?

India again falls out of the visibility zone of the total solar eclipse on August 12. In the northern hemisphere, lucky residents of Greenland, Iceland, Spain, Russia, and a small area of Portugal will only be able to witness the totality. Regions in Europe, Africa, North America, the Atlantic Ocean, Arctic Ocean, and Pacific Ocean, however, will be witness to a partial eclipse.