Flyer, Itinerary & Pricing

The Eclipse Flight

Under the technical guidance of
Eclipse Chasers Athenaeum (ECa), the eclipse sphere of SPACE,
Space Technology & Education
&
Cox and Kings is organising an historical passenger eclipse flight.
(Special thanks to Mr. Glenn H Schneider for all his help)

First time ever in India. See the record breaking eclipse in a positively record breaking way! A brand new JetLite 737-700 aircraft specially chartered to fly under the lunar shadow.

The greatest eclipse of the 21st century is occurring on 22nd July 2009, in the thick of the monsoon season with all the clouds. Why not fly above the cloud tops at level four-one-zero to have a clear view of the eclipse?

Only a few fortunate eclipse chasers will have the perfect view of the Eclipse, above the Ganges valley, Patna and high above the monsoon clouds that will besiege the eclipse view from the plains. Seeing the Sun's Corona is virtually guaranteed.

41000 feet above ground! Its an "eclipse observing location, so unique" that you can look up to the eclipse in the dark blue sky and can also look down upon the green and white earth with the lunar shadow sweeping beneath you at 15 mach. Watching the corona at that height looks brighter, it’s an electric phenomena.

You are above 75% of the earth's atmosphere, no water vapour or clouds. It’s a grandstand view of Nature's most beautiful celestial phenomena.

Eclipse chasers sitting along the Sun Side windows of the aircraft will be able to photograph the eclipse; while the chasers sitting along the Earth Side windows of the aircraft will be able to photograph the Lunar Shadow moving over the Earth’s cloud top. It’s going to be a truly moving sight. Passengers on the Earth side windows will also see bright Jupiter suddenly visible just above the horizon.

Fly from Delhi to eclipse to Delhi and back to your office in one day, very unlike an eclipse expedition that lasts for days together.

Details

The Greatest Total Solar Eclipse of the 21st Century is just around the corner. The maximum duration of this eclipse is 6 minutes 38 seconds at a location in the Pacific Ocean. The eclipse is starting at sunrise near Surat in Gujarat. The shadow of the moon is so large at this eclipse that even at sunrise the duration of totality is more than 3 minutes. Indeed this is a great eclipse. The shadow then very quickly moves across the breadth of India towards Arunachal Pradesh. The shadow spans a third of the entire path in India, 900 kilometres out of 2500 kms across entire India.

This long eclipse occurs in the middle of the monsoon season in the subcontinent. Similar “seasonal winds”, ‘Mei-yu’ in China and ‘Baiu’ or ‘Tsuyu’ in Japan, lower the probability of seeing this eclipse in clear skies. The Indian monsoon advances to cover the entire country by this date. A lot of weather data of the past many years has been studied by eclipse meteorologists and the result – Observers in India will have to make the best of an unfortunate lot. An airbourne observation is the highest probable way of viewing this eclipse!

Eclispe Chasers Athenaeum, the eclipse sphere of SPACE, is conducting a dedicated, non-stop, round eclipse flight. The aircraft chartered is a brand new 737-700 from JetLite, which has 21 ‘Sun Side Windows’, and 21 ‘Earth Side Windows’. The eclipse flight will last for approximately 3 hours, take off from Delhi and will land back to Delhi. The flight will take off at 0430 Hrs IST, fly towards and hold over Gaya till its eclipse time. At a precise time the totality run towards north-north-west will be initiated. The aircraft will be intercepting the middle of the eclipse shadow at 0626 IST, 41000 feet, Longitude 85°, Latitude 25° 20’.

India is the likely place where such an airbourne observation is possible. The eclipse altitude, 15°, is just about right to be visible from the passenger aircraft windows. The high altitude of 41000 feet eliminates the all meteorological risks for the eclipse chaser. Flying in the specially chartered 737-700 JetLite aircraft, the eclipse will be observed from pristine, dark and cloud free skies. At this height 75% of the atmosphere, 99% of the water vapour and aerosols will be below the aircraft. At this altitude scattering of sunlight by airbourne particulates is low, giving rise to exceptionally dark sky during totality, enabling eclipse viewing with high contrast. The airmass along the line of sight to the Sun is significantly reduced, resulting in exceptional sky transparency, reduced atmospheric turbidity, and better astronomical "seeing".

The Eclipse intercept point has been planned over Taregna, a village 35 kms south of Patna. Taregna Math is the place where Aryabhatta – India’s astronomer & mathematician observed the skies and practised. Coincidently the eclipse centreline is passing right over this historical Patliputra town. Cloud permitting we will have a bird’s eye view of the mighty Ganges flowing below! Two alternate totality runs have been planned in case the cloud ceiling is higher than the planned height at Patna. The alternate totality runs are west of Patna.

Interested in chasing the eclipse? Then contact fast, as the Sun Side Window seats are getting eclipsed quickly.

Flyer, Itinerary & Pricing