Solar Eclipses from Ireland

There's nothing to stop us organising an IFAS eclipse trip on board a plane.
We could have a chat with a few airlines closer to the time.

Michael.

michaeloconnell wrote:

We could have a chat with a few airlines closer to the time.
Michael.

I'm just trying to imagine a phone conversation with Ryanair. What kind of hidden costs do you think they'd add on?

€5 euro for the flight

Extras
1. The usual taxes, charges and fees
2. $50 for a window
3. €25 for a seat at the window
4. €50 for the engineer to clean said window prior to take-off

etc...

A plane would be cool if IFAS ran it.
I've seen one in 99 on sea.
One n 08 on land and
to complete the hat trick one by air would be nice!!

Then how about Eclipse by Skydive?!!!?!


Although I'm still very tempted to head to Svalbard,
just because it's such a mental place to visit.
Defiantly once in a lifetime trip.

There may and probably will be some Norwegian
cruise companies running eclipse cruises such as
Irish Ferries one in '99.

I know we are getting off topic here
(as it was originally a post about what you
would see from Ireland if you stayed put)
but the one that crosses Spain looks good indeed.

michaeloconnell wrote:

There's nothing to stop us organising an IFAS eclipse trip on board a plane.
We could have a chat with a few airlines closer to the time.

Michael.

An IFAS flight would be fantastic. If anyone is serious about organising it, I can give you the email of Glenn Schneider. He's in charge of some instrument on Hubble and chases eclipses in his spare time He's organised several aircraft intercepts. He'd be a good guy to talk to...

From Dublin Airport, it is approx. 560 miles each way to the nearest point on the centre line of totality for the 2015 eclipse. At this location, the Sun is 16 degrees up - a nice height I reckon to view an eclipse from an airplane as you wouldn't want it too high in the sky. Totality would last 2 mins 41 secs.

If we were to go to best point on the path to witness the longest length of the eclipse, we would only gain an extra 6 secs. However, to get there, it is approx 770 miles each way from Dublin Airport. Assuming a return trip!, it would be approx. an extra 40% in travel distance over the shorter trip for just a 4% longer eclipse. Presumably, the cost of the plane hire and fuel would make the trip much more expensive and may put it out of many people's budget for the sake of an extra 4% longer eclipse.

The Faroe Islands are 600 miles away from Dublin Airport and the eclipse will only last 2 mins dead from the capital Tórshavn with very poor weather prospects. From my (bad) experience in China, I like the thought of mobility and altitude when it comes to eclipses! The thought of seeing the 2015 eclipse from an airplane was something I had a long think about on the 11 hour flight back from Beijing. Shouldn't be too difficult to organise - main issue is of course cost.

It would probably be one of if not the longest internal flight ever undertaken in Ireland!

Michael.

I think it's time to open an 'Eclipse chasing AC' in the bank! :laugh:
After the '99 Eclipse I was adamant that I would be at the next total eclipse
in Africa in 2001 but I made the mistake of not keeping an eye on the
travel company's / tour costs etc. and when I did go to book it the cost at the time for me
was just not realistic.
Lesson learned!