Antarctic Eclipse

Wide field image taken during the total solar eclipse of 2003 November 23th over the Antarctica. The picture was made on board a LanChile Airbus 340-300 at 38,000 feet of altitude (about 11,600 meters), during the Spanish expedition Shelios 2003 dedicated to observe this eclipse. The totally eclipsed Sun is visible over the wing of the airplane. To the right there are two luminous points, Mercury (the nearest to the Sun) and Venus. The landscape presents the “false twilight” effect around the horizon. Note the reflection of the solar corona on the wing of the aircraft.