When Texans are treated to a rare annular solar eclipse this weekend, thrill-seekers can up the ante by viewing the sight while hurtling through the air at around 120 mph.
Skydive South Texas is mixing the thrill of skydiving with the cosmic “ring of fire spectacle” eclipse on Saturday.
As previously covered by The Dallas Express, the eclipse will be visible largely in the South.
However, the path of the moon’s shadow will mean those in Texas, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, some parts of California, Idaho, Colorado, and Arizona will have the best views.
Some of the best viewing locations in Texas are in the southern part of the state, such as the Padre Island National Seashore. Its northernmost beach, Whitecap Beach, offers the longest window of visibility — 4 minutes and 52 seconds — when the solar eclipse begins at 11:56 a.m. at 49 degrees above the south-southeast horizon.
However, Skydive South Texas is providing another way to view this event from high above the ground. Based in the seaside town of Port Aransas, the team is seeking new heights and redefining boundaries with its eclipse offering.
“We just wanted to combine the two. We didn’t want to be stuck down here watching the eclipse like everybody else,” explained chief pilot Garrett Braddy in an interview with WFAA.
Braddy and his team’s sentiments were evidently shared by other skydiving enthusiasts.
“We started advertising it, and then we threw out slots on our schedule for bookings, and one of them filled up pretty much instantly,” he said.
Skydiving instructor Kari Greathouse will accompany these skydivers on their jump while adding a new experience of her own to her list of amazing feats.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I want to be able to offer it right. I mean, I’ve never skydived during an eclipse, so this is going to be super exciting for me,” Greathouse said.
Some other skydiving companies are also offering special eclipse dives, such as Skydive Spaceland San Marcos in Caldwell County.
Not everyone is brave enough to embrace the anxiety and jump out of a plane — never mind during a celestial event.
As such, here is a video taken from a jump from an earlier eclipse to give those who prefer to keep their feet on the ground a taste of the action.
For anyone planning to view the eclipse, experts urge caution since the ultraviolet and infrared rays can cause severe damage to your retina without proper eye protection to filter them out.
NASA will also be broadcasting the spectacle live on YouTube.
