Sky-watchers gather to see total solar eclipse

2017 US eclipse path

There will be a total solar eclipse in America next week, and Air Charter Service is chartering aircraft to several destinations for stargazers to get a better look at the spectacular event.

On 21 August, American sky-watchers will be able to see the first total solar eclipse visible from the continental United States in nearly four decades. Its path will pass from Oregon, through 12 other states, before finishing in South Carolina.

“We have chartered a number of private jets from both the East and West coasts of the US for keen stargazers to get the best views of the phenomenon.”

Richard Thompson, president of ACS Americas, said: “We have chartered a number of private jets from both the East and West coasts of the US for keen stargazers to get the best views of the phenomenon. Timing will be everything for these charters and, in the case of adverse weather conditions on the day, contingency plans have had to be put into place.

“What we are finding now is that airfields that lie in the path of the eclipse trajectory are running out of landing and parking slots, but we are keeping track of where there is still availability, so we can advise clients that still want to book.”

This is not the first time that SCA Americas has chartered aircraft for such an event – two years ago it flew 150 astronomers to Ternate, a small island in eastern Indonesia, to get the best view of an eclipse.