A breathtaking photo of a falling skydiver aligned with the Sun by Andrew McCarthy goes viral, earning global praise for its precision, planning, and surreal beauty.
Viral: When the universe aligns, even for a split second, it gives us a frame that feels unreal, and this time, it delivered a once-in-a-lifetime masterpiece.
A photographer from the United States astonished the world by taking a stunning picture of a falling skydiver that was precisely in line with the Sun’s flaming surface. The surreal photograph, shot by Arizona astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy, shows musician and skydiver Gabriel Brown plummeting from a small propeller aircraft, and for one fleeting moment, lining up flawlessly in front of the glowing star.
The picture, taken on Saturday (Nov 8) in an Arizona desert, was anything but accidental. Brown jumped from around 3,500 ft (1,070 m), positioning himself nearly 8,000 ft (2,440 m) from McCarthy’s camera. The photographer said the shot, dramatically titled “The Fall of Icarus,” demanded an “absolutely preposterous” amount of planning, and might just be the first image of its kind ever captured.
“A surreal moment, captured despite the insane challenges,” McCarthy wrote while unveiling the image. “We call this photo ‘The Fall of Icarus’, and will have it available as a fine art print for a short time.” Amazingly, he nailed the shot on his very first attempt.
As expected, the photo exploded across social media, leaving people in disbelief over the precision, timing, and artistry behind the viral frame.
Not His First Viral Sun Shot
This isn’t the first time McCarthy has mesmerized the world with solar photography. Earlier this year, he went viral for capturing the International Space Station (ISS) crossing in front of the Sun, an ultra-brief event that lasted less than a second.
That photograph, which he named “Kardashev Dreams,” featured not only the ISS mid-transit but also a dramatic solar flare erupting at the same moment. “While waiting for the ISS to transit the Sun, a sunspot group started flaring, leading to this once-in-a-lifetime shot,” he explained.
Though the ISS orbits Earth at about 400 km above the surface, nowhere near the Sun, its precise 90-minute orbital path gives photographers a tiny window of opportunity, and McCarthy seized it with expert timing.
Social Media Reacts: Awe, Shock & Pure Admiration
As the latest photo went viral, people couldn’t contain their excitement. Many were stunned, others emotional, and some even spent money instantly after seeing the close-up.
One user wrote, “Many, many congratulations! This is truly a phenomenal photo. I ended up purchasing a 16×20 of the closeup and can’t wait to put it on my wall. I’m rarely moved by photographs these days, even as a photographer myself. But this one stopped me in my tracks. Absolutely fantastic work!”
Another user was blown away by the effort behind the shot, “The level of planning and attention to detail you need to make this happen is on a whole other level. Congratulations!!”
One more viewer couldn’t hold back their excitement, “I can’t get enough of these shots. You really outdid yourself.”
Someone else beautifully summed up the emotion of the frame, “It steals my breath without even trying… a quiet masterpiece, like the world paused just to let this scene exist. Brilliant work.”
And there were reactions that were pure, raw amazement, “This is crazy. You are amazing!!!” “Photo of the decade.”
