- US photographer Andrew McCarthy captured a jet crossing the Sun using solar photography
- He took 1.7 million images over six days to get the perfect shot of the aircraft transit
- The photo also shows two solar prominences, glowing arcs of plasma on the Sun's surface
A US-based photographer has gone viral for capturing a mesmerising image of a commercial passenger jet transiting directly across the face of the Sun. To click the once-in-a-lifetime pic, McCarthy utilised specialised solar photography and captured roughly 1.7 million images over six days. Along with the silhouette of the aircraft, the image also captured two floating solar prominences, glowing arcs of superheated plasma rising from the Sun's surface.
"I took 1.7 million photos of our Star over 6 days to catch this photo of a commercial jet in front of the sun. The moment it happened, two floating prominences were visible, making this not just my best aircraft transit photo, but one of the luckiest of my career," said McCarthy.
McCarthy explained that he captured the full solar disc in 10fps (frames per second) and a close-up in 85fps, which allowed him to ddevelop the crisp images.
"Since I caught it with both focal lengths, it made possible for a much higher resolution photo, allowing huge, high-quality fine art prints," said McCarthy.
As the picture went viral, social media users were in awe of McCarthy's composition, with many stating that he might have outdone himself with his latest work.
"I'm running out of adjectives, Andrew," said one user, while another added: "Heck of a shot man. Need another rocket transit like this."
A third commented: "It is absolutely crazy how the tornadoes of gas appear like swirls that remind me of the Starry Night painting."
A fourth said: "I always wonder if you'll run out of ideas after having done so many amazing photos, and then you do something like this. Bravo."
Check The Viral Image Here:
ISS In Front Of Sun
This is not the first instance when McCarthy has gone viral for capturing such stunning images of the Sun. Last year, he captured the International Space Station (ISS) passing in front of the Sun, creating a breathtaking composition. McCarthy said it was one of his favourite photos as it not only captured a transitioning ISS in front of the star but also the solar flare.
Similarly, he also captured musician and skydiver Gabriel Brown in front of the Sun after the latter jumped from a small propeller-powered craft in a desert in Arizona. As per McCarthy, the shot, dubbed "The Fall of Icarus," required an "absolutely preposterous" level of planning and "might be the first photo of its kind in existence".
