Hey, so the annular eclipse on February 17 finally happened. Honestly, it was one of those astronomical events everyone was waiting for, but most people couldn't see it live. Here in Spain, we weren't lucky, nor in Mexico. The phenomenon was mainly for those in Antarctica, Chile, Argentina, and parts of Africa. No total solar eclipse in Europe this time.

What's interesting is that this annular eclipse was the longest of the two we will have in 2026. The maximum phase, that famous ring of fire, lasted about 2 minutes and 20 seconds. Quite short when you think about it. It started at 3:56 a.m. (Mexico City time) and the peak was around 6:11. Nothing like the total eclipse in August, which was visible in North America, Africa, and Europe.

What many don't know is that these 2026 eclipses were like a prelude to the mega event: the total solar eclipse on August 2, 2027, which promises to be the longest of the century with over 6 minutes of duration. So if you missed this one, at least we have that one waiting. They say it will be spectacular.