{"id":41040,"date":"2025-11-16T04:02:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-16T04:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/41040\/"},"modified":"2025-11-16T04:02:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-16T04:02:08","slug":"astrophotographer-captures-skydiver-silhouetted-against-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/41040\/","title":{"rendered":"Astrophotographer captures skydiver silhouetted against sun"},"content":{"rendered":"

An Arizona-based astrophotographer has pulled off what may be an unprecedented feat<\/a> in photography: capturing a skydiver in free fall perfectly aligned with the surface of the sun.<\/p>\n

Andrew McCarthy, who specializes in solar photography, coordinated with friend and YouTube personality Gabriel C. Brown to create the striking image<\/a> on Nov. 8 in the Arizona desert.<\/p>\n

The photo, titled \u201cThe Fall of Icarus,\u201d<\/a> required months of planning, complex mathematics and six attempts before the pair nailed the shot.<\/p>\n

An Arizona-based astrophotographer captured a skydiver in free fall perfectly aligned with the surface of the sun.<\/p>\n

Immense planning and technical precision was required for this absolutely preposterous (but real) view: I captured my friend @BlackGryph0n<\/a> transiting the sun during a skydive. <\/p>\n

This might be the first photo of it’s kind in existence. See a video of this moment in the reply \ud83d\udc47 pic.twitter.com\/mkjfavuVsZ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Andrew McCarthy (@AJamesMcCarthy) November 13, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThis might be the first photo of it\u2019s kind in existence,\u201d McCarthy wrote on X, calling it \u201cabsolutely preposterous (but real).\u201d<\/p>\n

The project, which demanded extraordinary precision, required Brown to jump from a small propeller-powered aircraft at approximately 3,500 feet while McCarthy positioned himself roughly 8,000 feet away with an array of telescopes, according to PetaPixel.<\/a><\/p>\n

Andrew McCarthy, an Arizona-based photographer, captured this image of his friend Gabriel C. Brown jumping out of a small propeller-powered craft some 3,500 feet above ground on Nov. 8.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had to find the right location, time, aircraft, and distance for the clearest shot; while factoring in the aircraft\u2019s power-off glideslope for the optimal sun angle and safe exit altitude,\u201d Brown explained on Instagram.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThen we had to align the shot using the opposition effect from the aircraft and coordinate the exact moment of the jump on three-way comms!\u201d<\/p>\n

The technical challenges extended beyond the jump itself.<\/p>\n

McCarthy monitored a live feed from his desert location and radioed Brown when to leap. <\/p>\n

The narrow field of view meant lining up the aircraft with the sun took six passes before Brown could finally jump.<\/p>\n

The photo, titled \u201cThe Fall of Icarus,\u201d required months of planning, complex mathematics and six attempts before the pair nailed the shot. cosmicbackground.io<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a narrow field of view, so it took several attempts to line up the shot,\u201d McCarthy told Live Science.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe only had one shot at the jump as repacking the parachute safely would take too long for another.\u201d<\/p>\n

The biggest obstacle proved to be tracking the aircraft through the sky \u2014 far more difficult than McCarthy anticipated despite his extensive experience photographing the sun.<\/p>\n

What makes the image particularly remarkable is McCarthy\u2019s use of hydrogen-alpha light to capture the sun\u2019s chromosphere \u2014 the fiery outer atmosphere invisible in normal white light.<\/p>\n

Hydrogen-alpha is a type of red light given off by hydrogen gas in the sun\u2019s atmosphere. <\/p>\n

McCarthy (pictured) said it was one of his \u201ctop 5\u201d photos of his career. cosmicbackground.io<\/p>\n

Special filters that block out all other light except this specific red wavelength reveal the sun\u2019s fiery surface details that normal photography can\u2019t capture \u2014 providing the dramatic backdrop for Brown\u2019s silhouette.<\/p>\n

After capturing Brown\u2019s transit, McCarthy created a high-resolution mosaic of the entire sun using a separate telescope, then matched the features to create the final composite image.<\/p>\n

McCarthy and Brown said that the photo took months of planning as well as precision-driven mathematics. X\/BlackGryph0n<\/p>\n

\u201cIt exceeded my expectations,\u201d McCarthy said in an Instagram video.<\/p>\n

Footage from the shoot shows his excitement at the moment of capture: \u201cI got it, dude!\u201d he shouts.<\/p>\n

McCarthy later described the photo as one of the \u201ctop 5\u201d he has ever taken over the course of his career.<\/p>\n

Brown, who had previously completed two paramotor transits of the moon with another photographer, brought valuable experience to the project.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had already done two paramotor transits of the moon (with @photographerjon) so I had experience getting similar shots & had a pretty good idea of the optimal angle & coms requirements,\u201d Brown wrote on X.<\/a><\/p>\n

Lunar Transit \ud83e\ude82\ud83c\udf19<\/p>\n

I had SO much fun working on this shot \u2013 it was tough to navigate but eventually we got it!! pic.twitter.com\/gwPOTEOBuj<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jon Carmichael \ud83d\ude90 \ud83d\udcf8\ud83e\ude82 (@photographerjon) December 3, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cBut the sun was a lot harder!\u201d<\/p>\n

The skydiver expressed his elation after the successful shoot.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is REAL (and I can\u2019t BELIEVE we pulled it off)!\u201d Brown wrote on X.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt took months of planning and a stupid amount of math, but I couldn\u2019t be happier with the result! Best skydive of my life!\u201d<\/p>\n

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