Ring of Fire, Farewell Comet, and the Smell of Rotten Eggs in Space

Astronomy Daily — S05E41 | Tuesday 17 February 2026 Ring of Fire, Farewell Comet, and the Smell of Rotten Eggs in Space Two celestial events happen TODAY — an annular solar eclipse transforms the Antarctic Sun into a ring of fire, and a rare hyperbolic comet makes its closest pass to Earth before leaving the solar system forever. Plus, JWST uses the smell of rotten eggs to solve a major exoplanet mystery, NASA performs a CT scan on the northern lights, a startup plans to fuel rockets with water, and we preview why 2026 is the dawn of a golden age of eclipses. In This Episode: • Ring of Fire solar eclipse over Antarctica — happening today, February 17, with up to 96% of the Sun covered and a 616km-wide path of annularity • Comet Wierzchoś (C/2024 E1) makes its closest approach to Earth today at 151 million km — a one-way trip out of the solar system, never to return • JWST detects hydrogen sulfide in giant exoplanets orbiting HR 8799, proving they formed like planets, not brown dwarfs — published in Nature Astronomy • NASA’s BADASS and GNEISS twin rocket missions launch from Alaska to “CT scan” the electrical circuitry of the aurora • General Galactic, led by ex-SpaceX engineer Halen Mattison, reveals plan to make rocket fuel from water — satellite test in October 2026 • 2026: A golden age of eclipses begins — total lunar eclipse March 3, total solar eclipse over Europe August 12, and much more ahead Hosted by: Anna & Avery Produced by: Huw at Bitesz.com Website: astronomydaily.io Social: @AstroDailyPod across all platforms Network: Bitesz.com Podcast Network

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss) .

Sponsor Details:

Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN . To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit You'll be glad you did!

Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click Here (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support)

This episode includes AI-generated content.

Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/31717508?utm_source=youtube