The annular solar eclipse of February 17, 2026, has passed. The next annular solar eclipse will occur on February 6, 2027. Here’s everything you need to know about it.
The moon’s antumbra, or the extended part of the moon’s umbral shadow, will sweep across parts of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres on February 6, 2027, creating an annular solar eclipse.
Stages of the annular solar eclipse in February 2027 (including time)
Partial solar eclipse begins (February 6, 12:57 UTC)
The partial solar eclipse will begin on February 6, 2027, at 12:57 UTC, when the moon’s penumbra, or the outer part of the moon’s shadow, touches Earth over the South Pacific Ocean.
The moon will start covering the sun’s disk, making it appear as if a bite has been taken out of the sun.
Annular solar eclipse begins (February 6, 14:04 UTC)
The annular solar eclipse will begin on February 6, 2027, at 14:04 UTC, when the moon’s antumbra, or the extended part of the moon’s umbral shadow, touches Earth over the South Pacific Ocean.
The moon will move entirely in front of the sun’s disk, and a “ring of fire” will begin to form around it. For a few seconds as annularity begins, Baily’s Beads—which look like beads of light—may be seen along the edge of the moon. These are caused by sunlight passing through lunar valleys.
Moment of greatest eclipse (February 6, 15:59 UTC)
The moment of greatest eclipse will occur on February 6, 2027, at 15:59 UTC, when the moon covers the center of the sun’s disk, leaving a symmetrical “ring of fire.”
Annular solar eclipse ends (February 6, 17:55 UTC)
The annular solar eclipse will end on February 6, 2027, at 17:55 UTC, when the moon’s antumbra, or the extended part of the moon’s umbral shadow, leaves Earth over the Gulf of Guinea, located off the western coast of Africa.
The moon will begin to move away from the sun’s disk, and the “ring of fire” will disappear. Once again, Baily’s Beads may be visible along the moon’s edge.
Partial solar eclipse ends (February 6, 19:01 UTC)
The partial solar eclipse will end on February 6, 2027, at 19:01 UTC, when the moon’s penumbra, or the outer part of the moon’s shadow, leaves Earth over the West Africa.
The moon will no longer overlap the sun’s disk, and the eclipse will be over.
Visibility of the annular solar eclipse in February 2027
The annular solar eclipse on February 6, 2027, will be visible over Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, the Atlantic, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria along a path about 281 km wide, known as the path of annularity. Along this path, the sun will appear as a “ring of fire.”
However, the partial solar eclipse will be visible from much of South America, parts of Antarctica, and the western half of Africa.
About the map: The wide orange line on the visibility map shows the path of annularity, while areas outside this path will experience a partial solar eclipse.
The green lines on the visibility map indicate when the maximum eclipse will happen at locations along those lines.
The blue curved lines indicate the percentage of the sun that will be covered by the moon during the maximum eclipse at those locations.
How long will the annular solar eclipse in February 2027 last?
The duration of the eclipse will depend on your viewing location.
Along the path of annularity, at maximum eclipse, annularity will last up to 7 minutes and 51 seconds, during which the moon will cover 93% of the sun’s center. However, the partial phases will last about 1 hour and 30 minutes both before and after annularity.
Observers along the central line of the path of annularity will see the maximum duration, while those near the northern and southern edges will experience a shorter duration.
What is an annular solar eclipse?
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and Earth, and the moon’s antumbra, or the extended part of the moon’s umbral shadow, falls on Earth.
Why is an annular solar eclipse called a “ring of fire” eclipse?
During an annular solar eclipse, the moon is too far away from Earth to completely cover the sun’s disk. As a result, the moon appears as a dark disk in front of a larger, bright disk, leaving a ring (an annulus) of sunlight around it.
Since the sun appears as a bright ring during an annular solar eclipse, it is sometimes called a “ring of fire” eclipse.
Resources
Animation of the annular solar eclipse on February 6, 2027
Interactive Google map of the annular solar eclipse on February 6, 2027
Local circumstances of the annular solar eclipse on February 6, 2027
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