Not a Missile Over California, It's Simply....
Another contrail that looks like a missile. Shot by Jesse Ferrell in Wichita, KS
The mystery of the missile over Southern California can easily be explained as only an optical illusion from a passenger plane contrail.
What the news helicopter filmed was an optical illusion produced by the setting sun and the curvature of the Earth. A flight, most likely originating in Hawaii, was inbound to the west coast of the United States.
As the plane flew through a cold pocket of air aloft, it produced a fairly substantial contrail. As you can see in the video, the upper-level winds actually spread the contrail to the south, making it appear that the contrail was the exhaust from a rocket.
The angle of the video being shot from the helicopter made an optical illusion that the contrail was coming from the ground up when, in fact, the contrail you see was probably hundreds of miles long and going all the way to the horizon over the ocean.
In addition, our eyes play tricks on us by taking objects in the foreground and comparing that to the contrail, making us think the contrail is closer and coming from the ground. It is the same reason we think the moon is large when it is rising -- we compare the moon to objects in our view and our brain interprets the moon as actually being much bigger when, in fact, it is not any bigger than when it is above us.
The exhaust flames that appear in the closeup are actually the reflection of sunlight on the airplane. Because of the curvature of the Earth, the sun is still shinning well above us despite the sun being below the horizon. That's why you see high clouds late in the evening with the brilliant reds and oranges after sunset.
So was it a missile? No, just a typical airplane contrail.
More Weather News
-
Memorial Day Weekend Heat Wave
May 23, 2012; 7:48 PM ET
Break out the fans and air conditioners and get the pools ready as a heat wave is poised for portions of the Midwest and mid-Atlantic this Memorial Day weekend.
-
Severe Storm Threat Wisconsin to Nebraska
May 23, 2012; 7:47 PM ET
Locally damaging storms will shift farther to the east and south in the Midwest into tonight.
-
.jpg)
Southwest Winds Elevate Fire Risk, Threaten Blowing Dust
May 23, 2012; 7:46 PM ET
High winds will slam portions of California and the Desert Southwest late this week, bringing the already high fire threat to extreme levels and ushering in cooler air.
-
Bud to Strengthen into a Hurricane in the Eastern Pacific
May 23, 2012; 7:45 PM ET
Bud may become the first hurricane of the season in the eastern Pacific, brushing the central Mexico coast with rain as it passes by.
-
Big Storms from Carolinas to the Delmarva
May 23, 2012; 7:43 PM ET
As a disturbance rolls slowly northeastward, thunderstorms from portions of the Carolinas to the Delmarva can be especially nasty into this evening.
-
Chile Drought May Be Dented by Rainstorm
May 23, 2012; 7:40 PM ET
A major rainstorm may be in the offing for drought-hit central and mid-southern Chile, including the nation's biggest population centers.
-
Everest Death Toll 4 from Weekend Rush
May 23, 2012; 7:38 PM ET
Another Everest climber was found dead this morning, bringing the weekend death toll to four, with one climber still missing.
-
India Heat Wave as Monsoon Eagerly Awaited
May 23, 2012; 7:35 PM ET
Sweltering heat, the hottest of 2012 in some areas, has spread discomfort across the Indian subcontinent, spurring anticipation of the coming rainy season
-
Still Rebuilding One Year After The Joplin, Mo., Tornado
May 23, 2012; 7:33 PM ET
-
East Daily Downpours This Week
May 23, 2012; 7:32 PM ET
A stalled weather pattern will bring a daily dose of disruptive downpours from portions of Florida to New England.
Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 100° | Wink, TX |
| Low | 29° | Mullan Pass, ID |
| Precip | 1.17" | Chapel Hill, NC |
WeatherWhys®
People need to pay close attention to the UV index during this time of year. On a sunny day late in the spring and into the summer, the UV is usually at least an 8, which is very high. Readings over 11 are considered extreme values in which only 10 minutes of full exposure to the sun will produce a sunburn.
This Day In Weather History
New Hampshire (1814)
A tornado crossed Merrimac, Litchfield, Londonderry and North Chester. The same storm produced hailstones that had an 11-inch circumference and weighed 1/2 pound.
Northeast (1989)
More rain in an already wet month. Monthly totals topped 11 inches at New York City, 9 inches at Bridgeport, Conn., and 8 inches at Baltimore (all three totals set records for May).
Rough Weather
.jpg)
Comments
Comments left here should adhere to the AccuWeather.com Community Guidelines. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.