Historic flight in the Arctic

by Knut Jørgen Røed Ødegaard

On Friday the 1st of August we will experience the first total solar eclipse on Norwegian ground since the eclipse in 1954. On the mainland we will observe a partial eclipse, while the day becomes night for a short period in Kvitøya.

In context with this historic and spectacular event in the Arctic the public is invited to participate on a unique and (because of the limited amount of seats available) very exclusive flight on a private charter-plane.

There are a number of unique sides to this historic flight:

-The first total solar eclipse on Norwegian ground since 195

-The first opportunity to observe a solar eclipse on Norwegian ground from an airplane. Only a few people have had the chance to experience a solar eclipse from an airplane before. One will have a broad field of view, and be able to see the shadow catching up with us and how the sunlight still shines with a strange appearance many miles away. Since the Sun will stand quite low over the horizon one can also observe beautiful colours and a glow on the sky.

-A total solar eclipse have hardly ever been observed from an airplane over the Arctic earlier.

-Last year there was a record low in the Arctic ice cover. How much of it is left this year? We have a chance to observe this directly. Because of the suspected connection between solar activity and Earth climate there will be fascinating to experience this modern day low of the Arctic ice and at the same time a total solar eclipse!

- An unusually rare opportunity to experience a flight north of Svalbard

Total solar eclipses are the most spectacular of all celestial phenomena. Even though the phenomenon is on the middle of the day the Sun gradually disappear behind the Moon, and finally it becomes dark. The brightest stars and planets will appear. Around the eclipsed Sun the impressive corona is apparent.

This historic airplane ride take us on a non-stop ride from Oslo airport Gardermoen to the Polar sea, northwest of Kvitøya and eastward along the central line of the totality, and back to Gardermoen. The plane will be located far above the clouds that almost always cover this area during the summer and we will experience the sky getting dark, the brightest stars and planets appearing and the spectacular solar corona appearing as a ring around the eclipsed Sun. The corona, with its ghost-like silver-blue color, stretches itself far away from the eclipsed solar disk.

Just as the totality begins and just before it end, the Sun will shine between the mountains on the Moon and make the impressive and famous diamond effect.

Many travel around the world to experience a total solar eclipse. This time the opportunity has come to the Arctic and island Kvitoya. This flight is practically the only way to experience this event on-site. Another flight will send live pictures to the Frogner park (Frognerparken) and some other locations, but as a passenger onboard the airplane one will be able to experience one of natures most spectacular and outstanding phenomena first-hand, and on Norwegian ground!

A equivalent opportunity has of course never existed earlier in Norway.

On Kvitøya the total eclipse will last for 1 minute and 27 seconds. On the central line which the plane follow, the totality will last for 2 minutes and 14 seconds. Because the shadow of the Moon moves over the ground with a velocity of 3600 km/h, and because of the velocity of the airplane along the central line of the eclipse, the duration of the total eclipse will be extended with 31 seconds and therefore increase the duration of the totality as observed from the airplane to approximately 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

Pictures and illustrations:

Total eclipses are very spectacular and magnificent. This is the total eclipse in Turkey on March 29th 2006. Photo: Tom Victor Kolkin / astronomy.no

This is the way the solar eclipse may look from the airplane above Kvitøya! Illustration: Astronomy.no

The zone of totality through the Arctic. Illustration: Fred Espanak, NASA

Details of the eclipse in the Svalbard-region. Illustration: Fred Espanak, NASA