Solar Impulse Plane En Route to Hawaii From Japan

A solar-powered plane took off from Japan early Monday to attempt a five-day flight over open water to Hawaii, the eighth leg of its bid to fly around the world without fuel

The Solar Impulse 2 flies over Nagoya Airport after taking off in Toyoyama, near Nagoya, central Japan, early Monday, June 29, 2015. Kyodo News via AP

TOKYO—A solar-powered plane took off from Japan early Monday to attempt a five-day flight over open water to Hawaii, the eighth leg of its bid to fly around the world without fuel.

Its long wings lighting up the night sky, the Solar Impulse 2 departed at 3:03 a.m. after an unscheduled, month-long stop in Japan because of unfavorable weather.

The flight to Hawaii, by far the longest of the journey so far, is risky because there are few if any places to land in an emergency.

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