Total Solar Eclipse Done Right

This video of a total eclipse of the sun is about the coolest thing we’ve ever seen, and you, too can chase the next one in a private chartered jet.

Total Solar Eclipse
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The article references Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" as an example of grand efforts, like flying a Learjet, to witness solar eclipses.
  • Viewing eclipses from the air, as exemplified by the Concorde extending viewing time in 1973, offers the advantage of clear skies and extended observation.
  • Sky & Telescope is chartering an Airbus A321 for a December 2021 total eclipse flight, offering a two-minute viewing experience from 38,000 feet, with tour prices ranging from $4,500 to $12,000.
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There’s disagreement about whether the subject of Carly Simon’s big early 70s hit titled You’re So Vain was Mike Jagger or Warren Beatty, but regardless, that dude, according to the singer, flew his “Learjet to Nova Scotia to see the total eclipse of the sun.” Which to be perfectly honest never sounded like a bad thing to us, but to each their own.

Regardless, this particular video of a total eclipse of the sun, what looks to be an annular eclipse, where the moon covers all but the outer ring of our home star, is awesome and is one of the coolest things we’ve ever seen. Totally Learjet worthy. 

You’ve missed the June eclipse, which was yesterday, but there’s another one this year, in December, and one company, Sky & Telescopes, is selling rides on a chartered Airbus A321 to witness the December 4,  2021 total eclipse from what it says will be cloudless skies at 38,000 feet. If you fly fast enough, you can extend your time in the path of the eclipse by a lot. Concorde did that trick back in June of 1973, managing to stay in the umbra for almost 74 minutes! An A321 can’t do that well because, well,  it’s not Concorde, but passengers could enjoy the darkness for nearly two minutes! Check it out here. Prices for a tour that includes the eclipse flight range from $4,500 to $12,000.

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