Liberty Global to live-stream solar eclipse in 360°
February 24, 2017
On February 26th, Liberty Global will live-stream a rare type of solar eclipse to people around the world via its Facebook page and YouTube channel. The Southern Ring of Fire solar eclipse will be streamed directly from the remote town of Coyhaique, in southern Chile – one of the best places in the world to view the phenomenon – thanks to a specially-installed fibre connection.
The live stream will start at 9.30am Chile Summer Time/12.30pm GMT and build up to the full eclipse just over an hour later, when the moon will cover the sun’s disk and form a glowing “ring of fire” in the sky.
The feed will be available in 360° on Liberty Global’s YouTube channel – the first time such an eclipse has been shown in this format. Viewers can enjoy the phenomenon through virtual reality headsets including Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear and Oculus Rift.
Viewers without headsets will be able to participate in the 360° experience on their smartphones or tablets by moving the device around as they are watching, while Liberty Global’s Facebook page will also feature a 2D stream directly from a telescope installed in the square.
Manuel Kohnstamm, Liberty Global’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, said, “This event demonstrates how high-speed, stable broadband networks are bringing the wonders of the world to an ever-greater audience. I can’t think of a more stunning setting from which to showcase such an amazing event – which will be able to seen in 360-degrees for the first time by people all over the world.”