Concorde Chases a Solar Eclipse for 74 Minutes

Concorde Chases a Solar Eclipse for 74 Minutes

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Episode description

Concorde Chases a Solar Eclipse for 74 Minutes

On 30 June 1973, a team of scientists aboard Concorde 001 achieved something remarkable: they chased the moon’s shadow across the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound, observing a total solar eclipse for 74 minutes instead of the usual seven. This feat of aeronautical ambition turned a fleeting astronomical event into the longest continuous eclipse observation ever recorded at that time. The episode also revisits other 30 June moments: Charles Blondin’s tightrope walk across Niagara Falls in 1859, King Henry II of France’s fatal jousting accident in 1559, and the 2005 Jerusalem Pride attack. Clare Vale examines how humans respond when the spectacular, the foolhardy, and the courageous collide, from supersonic stratospheric science to the quieter bravery of showing up when visibility carries a cost.

Chapters

  • Introduction Clare opens with the question: what if scientists could chase the moon’s shadow instead of waiting for it to pass? On 30 June 1973, they did exactly that aboard Concorde.
  • Concorde 001 Chases the Eclipse A team of astronomers aboard the French Concorde prototype intercepts a total solar eclipse over the Atlantic, flying at Mach 2 to stay in the moon’s shadow for 74 minutes and gather unprecedented data on the solar corona.
  • Call to Action Clare invites listeners to follow the show and share it with curious friends.
  • Charles Blondin Walks Niagara Falls On 30 June 1859, French acrobat Charles Blondin crosses Niagara Gorge on a 335-metre tightrope, launching a career of increasingly audacious stunts above one of the world’s most powerful waterfalls.
  • King Henry II and the Jousting Tournament On 30 June 1559, King Henry II of France is fatally wounded during a celebratory joust in Paris. His death reshapes French succession and leads to the end of royal jousting in France.
  • The Jerusalem Pride Attack, 2005 On 30 June 2005, a knife attack at the Jerusalem Pride march injures three. The attacker would strike again in 2015, killing 16-year-old Shira Banki. Clare reflects on the cost and courage of visibility.
  • Outro Clare closes by weaving together the day’s stories: brilliance, recklessness, bravery, and the human impulse to chase shadows at twice the speed of sound.

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