A total solar eclipse is viewed while flying on board a special flight operated by Transavia, from Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, The Netherlands on March 20, 2015. A solar eclipse occurs when the orbit of the moon places it directly between the sun and earth. The moon's shadow darkens the skies for approximately two to three minutes as it traces a northerly path across the North Atlantic between Iceland and the European continent toward the north pole . Photo by Joe Marino/UPI