In anticipation of tomorrow ’s total solar eclipse — and to meet the requests of diehard eclipse chasers — Alaska Airlines Flight 870will spay its usual difference timeto maximise the sight of this rarified and spectacular heavenly event .
Most of the world wo n’t be capable to seetomorrow ’s eclipse , since it will mostly be visible from the middle of the Pacific Ocean . This total solar eclipse — the only one to happen in 2016 — will be visible to observers in parts of Indonesia ( include Borneo , Sumatra , and Sulawesi ) and from a few other location in the Pacific ( including Hawaii ) .
But if you happen to be on Alaska Airlines Flight 870 from Anchorage to Honolulu tomorrow , you ’re in for a special treat . At the asking of astronomers — many of whom will be on the flight of steps — the bunch will be making sure that passengers get to see the occultation in all its glory .
The carpenter’s plane will vary on March 8 at 2:00 phase modulation , which is 25 minutes earlier than common . ( The eclipse , at just two minute in continuance , would otherwise be miss . ) A special flight programme is currently being prepare to witness the most effective itinerary and to report for weather condition and wind . Captain Hal Andersen has also contacted Oceanic Air Traffic Control to inform them that the flight will likely require some tactical variety .
“ The key to achiever here is meeting some very tight time constraints — specific latitudes and longitude over the sea , ” note Andersen in an Alaska Airlinesstatement . “ With the escape direction computer , it ’s a reasonably easy challenge , but it ’s something we require to pay up very close attention to . We do n’t desire to be too far beforehand or too far behind docket . ”
contrive for this moment began concisely after the last total eclipse on March 20 , 2015 . American Museum of Natural History Astronomer and seasoned occultation chaser Jose Rao come upon that Flight 870 should intersect the course of totality — the darkest part of the shadow ’s moon as it passes over Earth . Rao hollo the airway and asked if they ’d make a few adjustment for the flight so that he and his fellow occultation enthusiasts — along with regular passengers — could watch the spectacle . To his delight , Alaska Airlines said yes .
Above : The total solar occultation of March 20 , 2015 as seen from a plane flying along the umbral way of life .
“ It ’s an unbelievably accommodating gesture , ” noted Mike Kentrianakis , solar eclipse task manager for the American Astronomical Society , who will also be on the flight of stairs . “ Not only is Alaska Airlines getting hoi polloi from Point A to Point B , but they ’re uncoerced to give them an exciting flight experience . ”
Other astronomers and “ umbraphiles”—a term descend from umbra , the sour shadow strobile of the moon that move across the Earth ’s aerofoil during an eclipse — who will be onboard include Craig Small , a semi - retired uranologist from the Hayden Planetarium , and Dan McGlauen , who will be handing out 200 pairs of special filtered Methedrine to passengers . Amateur uranologist Bob Stephens plans to film the eclipse with his GoPro and a distich of hand-held cameras . Undoubtedly , cool footage will be sure to follow .
you could follow the escape tomorrow atFlightAware.com .
[ Alaska Airlines ]
AstronomyScience
Daily Newsletter
Get the good technical school , science , and culture news in your inbox day by day .
News from the hereafter , turn in to your present tense .
You May Also Like
