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strange trail thing in the sky

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  • 22-11-2011 11:09pm
    #1
    dirtyghettokid
    Registered Users Posts: 2,988 ✭✭✭


    i was out with my FIL earlier this evening and we spotted this in the north sky

    DSC_6281.jpg

    have no idea what it is - i think it's too squiggly for a jet trail....... it's not some sort of funny cloud is it?

    and just so you aren't disappointed by this thread, here's a pic of the south-west sky about half an hour later :)

    6385295213_085823c1fb_z.jpg
    november dusk by jbredrebel, on Flickr


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    #2
    mike65
    Closed Accounts Posts: 88,978 ✭✭✭✭mike65


    Vapour trails drifting/bending in the air. Remember even when its completely still down here there are currents higher up.


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    #3
    dirtyghettokid
    Registered Users Posts: 2,988 ✭✭✭dirtyghettokid


    is it not too dark for that? any trails i've seen have been white.. this was like smokey-near black


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    #4
    280special
    Registered Users Posts: 386 ✭✭280special


    dirtyghettokid wrote: »
    is it not too dark for that? any trails i've seen have been white.. this was like smokey-near black

    As the sun gets lower or is almost on the horizon the contrails get darker.

    Definately an aircraft contrail. Roughly where were you and what time was it ?


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    #5
    WolfeIRE
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,667 ✭✭✭WolfeIRE


    That is a contrail though it is a rather unusual one. As someone pointed out, winds at higher altitudes can distort the typical linear contrail. However, this twisting contrail seems to be the result of a manoeuvres by the pilot. Winds do not blow ten different directions I would have thought.

    Also spotted this contrail over the northwest yesterday (midday). Almost like Ireland is hanging from a string.

    182207.jpg

    I have cropped the contrail below. The contrail follows the same pattern shown in the pic posted by dirtyghettokid.


    Wolfe.

    Ps....what on earth is a FIL

    182277.jpg


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    #6
    Su Campu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,279 ✭✭✭Su Campu


    I saw that exact trail that dirtyghettokid saw yesterday afternoon, around 16:15 to the northeast of Dublin. I has seen it a few minutes earlier, and it was a smooth white trail with a sharp bend in it where the plane had turned to the east. A few minutes later, it became ragged due to windshear, and its colour changed to a darkish grey, due to the blocking of the sun by some clouds over central and western Ireland. Remember, at that time of the day the sun was very low in the western sky, so while it was sunny at ground level, the clouds were blocking the rays in that particular part of the sky.

    EDIT: I think FIL is father in law?


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    #7
    WolfeIRE
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,667 ✭✭✭WolfeIRE


    Thought you were going to say it was HAARP, Su :p


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    #8
    sh1tstirrer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,489 ✭✭✭sh1tstirrer


    On the topic of contrails. Back in April there were people ringing the radio station in my local town saying that they saw about 20 lines in the sky on a clear morning and they didn't know what they were :rolleyes: When someone rang in and said they were contrails another clown rings in and says that it was security for the Queens visit and that the planes were checking out the air space :rolleyes: People really need to get outdoors more often from the confines of their homes ;)


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    #9
    Su Campu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,279 ✭✭✭Su Campu


    WolfeIRE wrote: »
    Thought you were going to say it was HAARP, Su :p

    Oh....er....sorry.... HAARP!!!


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    #10
    dirtyghettokid
    Registered Users Posts: 2,988 ✭✭✭dirtyghettokid


    thanks for the replies!
    i am about halfway between naul and lusk and yes, it was about that time - 4.15 in the afternoon! i just was baffled because of the shape and colour....i'd not see trails that dark and jagged/wiggly before!

    and yes, FIL is definitely father-in-law! :D


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    #11
    280special
    Registered Users Posts: 386 ✭✭280special


    Tried here http://www.flightradar24.com/ just on the off-chance that it might tell you what aircraft was involved. But nothing seems to match a westerly course passing over or near north County Dublin. Private jet or military perhaps ?


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    #12
    Su Campu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,279 ✭✭✭Su Campu


    Assuming the plane was cruising at around 35,000 ft (10.7 km), and taking the viewing angles of both myself (in Citywest) and the photographer (between Lusk and Naul), I estimate that the plane was around 25 km east of his location, which would mean it was over the sea.

    There were some planes in that location at the time, including a Ryanair from Connaught, but unfortunately Flightradar24's arcive only shows movements in 2-minute steps, so it's hard to decide which plane it was.

    Of course it is also possible that it wasn't received by on the ASD-B, so didn't appear on the map.


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    #13
    santasbird
    Registered Users Posts: 96 ✭✭santasbird


    Su Campu wrote: »
    Assuming the plane was cruising at around 35,000 ft (10.7 km), and taking the viewing angles of both myself (in Citywest) and the photographer (between Lusk and Naul), I estimate that the plane was around 25 km east of his location, which would mean it was over the sea.

    I actually saw this trail, I called to my husband to have a look as it was so dark in colour. I'm in Baldoyle and spotted it just on the coast of Baldoyle and Portmarnock.


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