This picture is a Concorde 001 Jet chasing the eclipse over Africa in June 30, 1973. There are seven researchers in the plane to study the eclipse. This is also the longest airborne total eclipse observation ever recorded. Concorde flew at the speed of Mach 2.05 and the altitude stayed between 16,200 and 17,7000 m. The Concorde was able to keep up with the eclipse’s umbra where the sun is blocked. The researchers aboard was to study the the outer atmosphere of the sun, which is only visible during a solar eclipse. This is also the first time a supersonic jet been used for scientific research.

Picture was taken by Arthur Gibson, and it’s the cover for “Concorde: New Shape in the Sky” by Kenneth Owen, Jane’s, 1982. Picture is taken from the Boeing NC-135 chase plane.