First solar eclipse 2026 today: Will Pakistan see it clearly?

Karachi – (Web Desk) – The first solar eclipse of 2026 will take place today (Tuesday), but it won’t be visible in Pakistan, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) confirmed.

The eclipse is set to start at 2:56 pm local time, reach its peak at 5:12 pm, and end by 7:28 pm. While Pakistan won’t witness it, parts of Africa and South America will get a clear view.

A partial solar eclipse will also be visible over the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Meanwhile, the spectacular “Ring of Fire” effect, where the moon covers most of the sun leaving a bright ring of sunlight around it, can only be seen in Antarctica. The PMD described today’s event as an annular solar eclipse.

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— Pak Met Department محکمہ موسمیات (@pmdgov) February 17, 2026

Space.com reported that the “Ring of Fire” will be observable from a remote region of Antarctica, where up to 96% of the sun will be obscured for just over two minutes.

The report said a partial solar eclipse will be visible across parts of Antarctica, southern Africa and the southern tip of South America, while regions over the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans will also witness a partial eclipse.

The PMD said Pakistan will have two solar and two lunar eclipses this year, though it noted that today’s event will remain inaccessible to observers in the country.

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Astronomers and eclipse enthusiasts worldwide are encouraged to follow the phenomenon via live broadcasts or online streaming, as the full annularity will be seen by very few people on Earth in person.