1999 eclipse: Livestreamed by Irish Times when internet relays were still in their infancy

Irish solar physicist Dr Laura Hayes has described her aerial mission to capture images of a total eclipse as the pinnacle of her career. Dr Hayes joined a group of Irish scientists, including astronomers from the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies, who were transported by the Irish Air Corps to Iceland to gather data and study the Sun.

The team collaborated with colleagues from the European Space Agency and Italy's National Institute for Astrophysics. Their journey began from Casement Aerodrome, flying over Conamara before proceeding westward into the Atlantic Ocean, heading towards the eclipse's path of totality, 540km from Conamara. Upon reaching the ideal location, the plane descended to an altitude of 10,082 feet so the specialized camera team could obtain a clear shot of the event, unobstructed by the distortion caused by glass.

The scientists had meticulously prepared for this endeavor over a year, but were only given a mere two minutes to record their data. During this brief observation period, Dr Hayes held the camera on a specially engineered gimbal, stating that she believed she hardly breathed during those critical two minutes of observation.