Iceland Solar Eclipse and Aurora

Icelandair Aurora Hekla (Anne Helmenstine) — Viewing a total solar eclipse from an airplane is a bit different from viewing one from the ground! On the one hand, you can get above the clouds, so it’s practically a given that you’ll have a clear sky. Also, the speed of the jet increases the duration of totality, […]

Total Solar Eclipse from the Air – March 2015 Iceland

This entry was posted on March 22, 2015 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on March 22, 2023)

Viking at the Saga Museum in Reykjavik — I got off to an adventurous start, even before reaching Iceland. It snowed in Boston, my point of departure to Reykjavik, grounding planes and spreading misery. Logan International Airport sent out the snowplows and the IcelandAir pilot (a woman… yes!) skated the jet down the runway and into the air. […]

Getting to Iceland – The Adventure

This entry was posted on March 17, 2015 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on November 19, 2022)

TSA Screening a Bag (US Department of Homeland Security) — Have you ever been swabbed by TSA going through the security checkpoint at the airport? Have you ever failed? It’s okay… me too. If you work in certain jobs (like, presumably, those that demonstrate the ability to make explosives), there’s a good chance you’re going to get tested. Or, it […]

How To Fail the TSA Swab Test – Iceland Eclipse ...

This entry was posted on March 14, 2015 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on November 19, 2022)

Electric Blue Lytro Camera — I had this crazy notion that I’d get a lot of work done today, so I could spend my downtime at the airport playing Minecraft. Hah! No… I’m way too excited to be productive. Instead, I got one of my toys ready for the trip. It’s a Lytro camera, which […]

Iceland Eclipse and Aurora Trip – The Lytro Camera

This entry was posted on March 13, 2015 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on November 19, 2022)

Photo of the sun taken with a Canon camera and cheap solar filter on March 11, 2015. — So, as you may (or may not) know, I’m headed to Iceland this weekend. It’s a huge bucket list trip for me, second only to visiting Mars, but a tiny bit more attainable. While it’s a working trip, I’m also calling it my 50th birthday present to myself (yep, I’m […]

Iceland Total Solar Eclipse Trip – Getting Ready

This entry was posted on March 12, 2015 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on February 21, 2023)