The first solar eclipse of 2026 arrives Tuesday, but it won't be the kind that most people are familiar with. On Feb. 17, the moon will pass between Earth and the sun to create an annular solar eclipse, often called a "ring of fire." In an annular eclipse, the moon is a bit farther from Earth than average, so it looks slightly smaller in the sky and can't cover the sun completely. At peak, a bright ring of sunlight remains visible around the moon's silhouette. A similar " ring of fire " eclipse