Click to play videoNew Delhi: Here's your opportunity to view the longest solar eclipse of this century from 41,000 feet above sea level. For the first time in India, you can take a passenger flight to watch an eclipse, but only if you are willing to shell out huge sums of money. You can book your tickets now because the solar eclipse is due on July 22.
Child prodigy Shreya has never been more excited for she is the youngest member on board the solar eclipse flight. The 11-year-old photographer can't wait to capture the beautiful celestial phenomenon.
"It will give me pictures that I will never get again. I have got this new cannon SLR camera especially for this and now I am looking for the special lens with the black film that will help me see the eclipse. If we will not find it, we will make it at home," says she.
The eclipse flight is happening for the first time in India. It is a passenger flight which will take people to see the eclipse at 41,000 feet above the ground. The three-hour flight will take off, fly towards and hold over Gaya till its eclipse time. Gaya is one of the few places in India that will see the total solar eclipse.
"Our organisation has organized an 'Eclipse Flight' with the travel agency Cox & Kings. It is a dedicated, non-stop, round eclipse flight, from Delhi to Delhi. This will be the greatest eclipse of this century so why not fly above the clouds to have a clear view," says President Eclipse Chasers Athenaeum, Ajay Talwar.
And the excitement is not just 41,000 above the sea level. Even on the ground, there are groups that are planning expeditions to places like China, Patna and Taregana in Bihar for a closer view of the eclipse. These places fall in the totality belt - which means they are places that will have complete darkness during the eclipse.
Nehru Planetarium director, Dr N Ratnashree says, "There are people from all over the country moving in the totality belt. We are trying to group all of them together on our website."
Since this eclipse is occurring during monsoon, some people might miss it due to the clouds. If you don't want to miss it, you can either travel to Gaya or China or try getting the last few seats on the eclipse flight - that is if you willing to spend Rs 80,000 for the window seat.
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