What could be better than watching an eclipse from a plane? Alaska Airlines is organizing a special charter flight on August 21 to celebrate this celestial show. This is a major event for the contiguous US which has not seen a total solar eclipse since 1979.
On August 21, the moon will pass in front of the sun and the US will be plunged into darkness from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast. Americans have not witnessed such a sight in as many states since 1918. In 1991, the eclipse could only be seen in Hawaii, and in 1979 only five states saw the moon block out the sun. The eclipse will cross the US, beginning in Oregon and ending in South Carolina. Chasing the eclipse at 35,000 feet above the earth promises to be quite an experience.
With astronomers expecting weather conditions to be good, this has become a highly anticipated event in the US. Sightseeing tours have even been organized to ensure the best possible eclipse experience.
Alaska Airlines has decided to get involved in this event by organizing a special charter flight. It will depart Portland, Oregon, at 7.30am. Unfortunately the flight is not commercially bookable, but the airline is holding a contest so that two people can win seats. The contest begins on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram on July 21.
In March 2016, Alaska Airlines organized a similar flight for a solar eclipse over the Pacific Ocean.
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