'Ring of fire' solar eclipse set for August 12
What's the story
A rare "ring of fire" solar eclipse will occur on August 12, 2026. The celestial event will begin at 11:34am EDT and end at 6:55pm EDT. However, it won't be visible from India due to the timing of the event. The eclipse is the second and final one for this year, marking the end of a solar cycle that has scientists and astrologers studying its impact on Earth's magnetosphere.
Eclipse details
About the annular solar eclipse
During this unique annular eclipse, the Moon will appear smaller than the Sun and won't completely cover it. This creates a stunning visual effect where the Sun looks like a ring of fire around a dark center. The path of totality for this eclipse will pass through parts of Europe, Northern Spain, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, northeastern Russia and Atlantic Ocean regions.
Visibility concerns
Visibility in India and safe viewing
The timing of the eclipse falls in the middle of the night for the Indian subcontinent, making it completely invisible here. This means that traditional astrological practices like Sutak Kaal purification period won't apply either. For those in non-visibility zones such as India, viewing the rare event is possible through official online live streams by global space agencies like NASA.