NASA's WB-57F high altitude research aircraft flew along the path of totality off the coast of Iceland on August 12 to observe a total solar eclipse. The aircraft climbed to 50,000 feet and was piloted along the precisely determined path of the Moon's shadow to maximize observation time during totality.
High-resolution cameras aboard the aircraft recorded eclipse data from above the clouds, dust, and atmospheric water vapor that typically interfere with ground-based observations. A cockpit view captured during the flight shows the solar corona emerging at the beginning of totality, with the sky darkened in the Moon's shadow.
From the aircraft's vantage point, Venus was visible to the left of center in the frame, while Jupiter and Mercury were visible to the right of the eclipsed Sun. The sky remained bright along the distant horizon beyond the reach of the Moon's shadow.
