Rare 'ring of fire' eclipse seen by few | Space photo of the day for Feb. 26, 2026
Space.com
by Daisy Dobrijevic February 26, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
A rare annular solar eclipse, known as the 'ring of fire,' graced the skies over Antarctica on February 17, 2026. This event was observed by only a few researchers at the Concordia Research Station, making it one of the most remote and unique sightings ever recorded. The eclipse occurred when the moon passed in front of the sun, but due to its distance from Earth, it didn't fully obscure the sun's disk. Instead, a thin ring of sunlight remained visible around the moon's silhouette, creating the stunning 'ring of fire' effect.
Annular eclipses are less common than total solar eclipses and require precise alignment between the sun, moon, and Earth. This particular eclipse was particularly rare because its path
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Originally published on Space.com on 2/26/2026