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Pictures of the Year: A picture and its story
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Pictures of the Year: A picture and its story
The sun is obscured by the moon during a solar eclipse as seen from an Alaska Airlines commercial jet at 40, 000 feet above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Depoe Bay, Oregon, U.S. August 21, 2017. Location coordinates for this image are 44 degrees 22.417 N 141degrees 10.154 W. Jim Urquhart: " For nearly a year a buzz had been generating about finding locations to shoot the solar eclipse from as it passed over the United States. But as the date drew closer it became clear to me that since the eclipse was going to occur so high in the sky, finding a view that gave a sense of place was going to be nearly impossible. So when I heard about an Alaskan Airlines flight that would take scientists and members of the media over the ocean I knew this was my chance. My colleague, Bethany Baker, who was shooting video for Reuters TV, and I practiced how we were going to move around each other in a cramped space shooting through a small window with a countdown clock running. At this altitude and being this far west we would have one of the shortest totality windows to work in. It was only 103 seconds. Not even two minutes. But once on the flight I had to change my seat assignment because the view was obscured by part of the wing. We got new seating arranged. It was worth it to me though because being exactly where we were over the ocean and at altitude, I would have a viewing angle that had the sun about half as high in the sky compared to everyone else on land and I was able to show the eclipse almost as if we were in space, with a horizon reference provided by the clouds below. In those fleeting moments in the shadow of the sun, high above the clouds and under a dark sky of space, I knew we were in one of the most unique environments anyone had ever witnessed an eclipse from." REUTERS/Jim Urquhart/File photo SEARCH " POY STORY" FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH " REUTERS POY" FOR ALL BEST OF 2017 PACKAGES. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Reuters photo archive features some of the most dramatic and iconic moments ever captured
Media ID 19897503
Aerial View Atmosphere Dark Colour Darkness Ground Landform Landscape Moon Natural Phenomenon Night Open Space Solar Eclipse
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This print captures the awe-inspiring moment when the sun is obscured by the moon during a solar eclipse, as seen from an Alaska Airlines commercial jet flying at 40,000 feet above the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Depoe Bay, Oregon. The image was taken on August 21,2017, with location coordinates of 44 degrees 22.417 N and 141 degrees 10.154 W. Photographer Jim Urquhart shares his experience of capturing this rare celestial event from such a unique vantage point. With anticipation building for nearly a year about shooting the solar eclipse as it passed over the United States, Urquhart realized that finding a view that conveyed a sense of place would be challenging due to its high position in the sky. However, when he learned about an Alaskan Airlines flight carrying scientists and media personnel over the ocean specifically for observing the eclipse, he seized this opportunity. Despite having to change his seat assignment to avoid obstruction by part of the wing, being at altitude and directly above water allowed him to capture an extraordinary perspective. In those fleeting moments under a dark sky filled with stars and surrounded by clouds below them like distant horizons, Urquhart knew they were witnessing something truly remarkable – an eclipse viewed almost as if they were in space itself. This photograph stands as testament to their incredible journey through time and space during those precious minutes in which day turned into night.
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