"Concorde Jet's Record-Breaking Flight During Longest Total Solar Eclipse"

On June 30, 1973, the Concorde 001, a supersonic jet, broke the record for the longest total solar eclipse in history by extending the duration of totality from 7 minutes to 74 minutes. Flying at 55,000 feet, the Concorde intercepted the moon's shadow along the Tropic of Cancer, allowing scientists on board to study the sun's corona and chromosphere. Despite subsequent eclipse flights, including those by Concorde in 1999, none have surpassed the achievement of the 1973 flight.