Chile, Argentina, West Africa · 6 February 2027
Annular solar eclipse of 6 February 2027
The ring of fire crosses southern Chile, Argentina and the South Atlantic, then reaches Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria late in the afternoon, and lasts up to 7 minutes 51 seconds. The rest of South America and west and southern Africa see a partial eclipse.
GreatestSaturday 6 February 2027, 15:59 UTC
Your timeSaturday 6 February 2027, 15:59 UTC
Where to see the ring of fire
The path of the ring of fire runs across southern Chile, Argentina, the coast of Uruguay and southern Brazil, the South Atlantic, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria. Greatest eclipse falls over the South Atlantic, at 15:59 UTC.
| Place | Ring of fire |
|---|---|
| Mar del Plata, Argentina | 7 min 37 s |
| Esquel, Argentina | 7 min 30 s |
| Lagos, Nigeria | 5 min 36 s |
| Accra, Ghana | 5 min 31 s |
| Punta del Este, Uruguay | 5 min 26 s |
| Abidjan, Ivory Coast | 1 min 24 s |
Durations on the centre line or in the town itself. A few kilometres towards the edge of the path cuts them sharply, so head for the middle.
In West Africa the ring of fire comes late in the afternoon with the Sun low in the west.
Outside the path, the rest of South America and west and southern Africa see a partial eclipse. The Moon takes a bite out of the Sun there, bigger the closer you are to the path.
NASA's interactive map shows the edges of the path down to the street, with the times for any spot you click.
What is happening
The Moon passes in front of the Sun when it is near the far point of its orbit and looks slightly smaller than the Sun, so it cannot cover all of it. A ring of bright sunlight, the ring of fire, stays around the Moon's dark disc for up to 7 min 51 s.
The light dims and cools a little, and the spots of light under trees turn into hundreds of small rings. The sky never goes dark, and the ring is far too bright to look at, so eclipse glasses stay on the whole time.
How to watch safely
- Wear eclipse glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 standard for every moment the Sun is even partly visible. Sunglasses, however dark, are not safe.
- Never look through binoculars, a telescope or a camera without a proper solar filter on the front. Glasses behind the eyepiece do not protect you; the optics burn through them.
- A pinhole projector works anywhere: a small hole in card throws an image of the Sun onto paper behind it. A colander or the gaps between leaves do the same.
- There is no safe moment without glasses: even at the deepest point a ring or crescent of the Sun is still showing.
- Damage to the eye from the Sun does not hurt while it happens, which is why the rules are strict.
See it in 3D
The Moon’s shadow crossing the Earth on the day, drawn by our 3D viewer from the real positions of the Sun, the Moon and the Earth, with the umbra and penumbra at their true size. Press play to load it here, then play, pause and scrub through the eclipse, or open it in the full viewer.
Open this eclipse in the 3D viewer →
Get a reminder
We email you a day or two before, with the time. Leave your email once and we send a code to confirm it; nothing else arrives unless you ask for it.
Questions
What time is the annular solar eclipse on 6 February 2027?
Greatest eclipse is at 15:59 UTC, over the South Atlantic. The exact times depend on where you stand, and this page shows them in your own time zone at the top.
Where can I see the ring of fire?
Along a path about 282 km wide across southern Chile, Argentina, the coast of Uruguay and southern Brazil, the South Atlantic, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria. The rest of South America and west and southern Africa see a partial eclipse.
How long does the ring of fire last?
Up to 7 min 51 s, over the South Atlantic. Mar del Plata, Argentina: 7 min 37 s; Esquel, Argentina: 7 min 30 s; Lagos, Nigeria: 5 min 36 s.
Is it safe to look at?
Never without protection: use ISO 12312-2 eclipse glasses or a pinhole projector for the whole eclipse, and never look through binoculars, a telescope or a camera without a solar filter on the front.
When is the next solar eclipse after this one?
Total solar eclipse, 2 August 2027, seen from Spain, North Africa, Egypt.
More in the sky
4 October 2026Saturn at opposition1.26 billion km · magnitude 0.3
21 October 2026Orionids 2026Up to 20 an hour · 78% Moon
17 November 2026Leonids 2026Up to 15 an hour · 55% Moon
25 November 2026Uranus at opposition2.76 billion km · magnitude 5.7
14 December 2026Geminids 2026Up to 150 an hour · 25% Moon
4 January 2027Quadrantids 2027Up to 80 an hour · 12% Moon
Every eclipse, meteor shower and planet at opposition, or the whole calendar. Tonight's planets are on what is visible tonight.
Sources
- NASA Eclipse Web Site: the annular solar eclipse of 6 February 2027
- NASA: interactive map of the path
- NASA: path table, with times and durations along the centre line
- Wikipedia: local circumstances for towns on the path
- NASA: eclipse safety
- American Astronomical Society: solar eclipse eye safety
- The times and positions on this page come from our own sky calendar, built on the sources above, the same one the 3D viewer runs on.