Jet contrails, from some angles, look like missile trails

[Ian David]

Edit - This post was originally from Jan 19th, 2010. I've updated it with information about the "Mystery Missile" contrail of Nov 8, 2010, at the bottom of this post. Clearly it's the same thing]

Edit again - I've mirrored this here as apparently my contrailscience.com server is crashing, sorry]

An interesting contrail cropped up off the coast of San Clemente, Orange County, California on December 31st 2009. The curious shape led some people to think it’s a missile launch, which it does kind of look like (all taken from San Clemente)


"Missile-like" contrail. Note this is the Dec 31st contrail, not the Nov 8th CBS one. That's at the bottom of the post.

<snip>

The idea that it’s a missile launch comes from three misconceptions. Firstly that the trail is vertical – it’s not, it’s a horizontal trail, at around 32,000 feet (about six miles). It’s the same as this:



This contrail is no more vertical than the road is, and nor are the power lines at 45 degrees. Everything is horizontal – it’s the just the angle you are viewing it from. All of these show horizontal contrails.

More:
http://uncinus.wordpress.com/2010/11/09/4/

Hat-tip to: http://twitter.com/Lizardoid/status/2107483749359616


See prior thread:

Mystery Missile Launch Seen off Calif. Coast
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4607709

[Meatball]

1. they just need crap to talk about..

..remember the UFOs in NY a couple weeks ago that ended up being balloons?

[Renew Deal]

2. They did?

Got a link for that?

[Ian David]

5. Here...

Random Crap We Like To Talk About
http://rcwltta.blogspot.com/

[Ian David]

3. I'm still undecided on this one. The contrail theory is compelling.

However, on the videotape, I see what to my inexpert eyes looks like a rocket flare.

Or, it could be the sun glinting off something shiny-- like an airplane.

Judging things in the sky is difficult, especially when viewed through things like zoom lenses, because of the lack of perspective.

[lumberjack_jeff]

4. At the tip of an airplane contrail...

... you don't usually see what appears to be a fireball.

The government has no idea what it was, but knows that it isn't a threat. Reassuring. :eyes:

[Ian David]

6. Does appear to be a fireball. Could be a fighter plane hitting the afterburners...

... or it could just be what a shiny airplane looks like through this particular TV lens at this particular distance.

Or, it could be a rocket.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. They know it isn 't a threat

Because the people cleared to know well KNOW exactly what this is. But public information officers don't...

Why the attitude, and indeed it could none of the services. As I've said before Skunk Works IS in the general area...

[lumberjack_jeff]

8. The public information officers know enough to say "no biggie" with a straight face. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Which is 'xactly what they've done

:hi:

[HuckleB]

25. There was no fireball.

[Ian David]

9. More

<snip>

Update Here’s a better video. You can see after about 0:50 it’s out of the contrail-persisting region of air, and is just leaving a short contrail. It’s also now out of the sun. It looks exactly like the short contrails of a jet coming towards the camera with perspective foreshortening

http://www.necn.com/11/09/10/Mysterious-missile-launched-off-Californ/landing_scitech.html?blockID=348833&feedID=4213

[Old and In the Way]

11. A few years back, I witnessed what appeared to be a rocket launch

from my deck up here in Central Maine. I'm up on top of a hill with almost a 120 degree uninterrupted view of the horizon, due west. It passed at, I would estimate, at 40-50,000 feet over my house on a NNE bearing. The only thing that makes sense was it being an SST taking off from Montreal on the way to Europe.

[Duchess]

12. Did you see the video?

You can see the Rocket engines thrust quite clearly at one point and it looked similar to a space shuttle launch...this contrail thing is BS.

[Ian David]

13. I'm still undecided. That could have been a fighter plane using after-burners. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

14. Given this came from north of Catalina Island

per my local news models... (that is the Navy weapons range), and that Skunk Works is in the neighborhood, I am almost willing to bet it is our regularly scheduled test which MOST personnel are not cleared for.

Living in SoCal, this is like a regular occurrence. They only go this public when you got this pretty picture, or when a decade ago they broke windows... again it was no threat but nobody had any idea what it was... as I said, it happens, you move on.

As to them denying it, the clincher was... no danger to the homeland.

Ok... let me get this straight... it is not one of ours (technically correct, skunk works is very much private even if working under contract)... but you guys are not a whit concerned? Ok. I can smell a very public weapons test if you ask me... one that we were not supposed to notice.

But it is all kinds of entertaining to watch...

The Chinese\ Israelis\ Koreans\ Russians, French and English did this... and were behind this...

:-)

It is funny, very funny.

[Ian David]

19. But it's also in the same spot where the contrail illusion is frequently photographed. n/t

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. As I said, listening to local news model

it fits to the regularly schedules and WEBY SECRET weapons test.

We have these like regularly... but the contrail will provide good cover.

In a few years they will reveal the new fangled fighter, bomber what have you. You know what used to be a UFO but a second before.

Call me jaded.

[Windy]

20. I was in the USAF...the contrail is way way too large (wide) to be from any sort of jet. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Correct... or at least, to give the benefit of the doubt

no known jet... if they are testing a jet... the size of that engine!

Oy...

[spin]

15. There was no missile just swamp gas ...

1966-Michigan Swamp Gas Case

Normally referred to as the "Michigan Swamp Gas Case of 1966," this wave of sightings would be much more than just sighting reports. It would be a landmark case in the history of Ufology. For a period of 6-7 days, UFOs were observed by witnesses, and confirmed by radar flying at incredible speeds, making unbelievable maneuvers, and at times hovering. This case would show the Air Force's attitude toward average American citizens, and expose a poor attempt at a cover-up.

***snip***

Object Buzzes Police Car:
The officers were witness to the UFO over the swamp, and they were shocked at the maneuverability of the UFO. One UFO had moved directly over where their flashlights were aimed, then lifted and departed at high speed in a westerly direction. As more officers were moving toward the scene of the landing, Officer Robert Hartwell of the Dexter division saw a UFO buzz his car.

"Swamp Gas" Explanation:
There were numerous sightings during the Michigan wave of 1966. The case itself is very memorable for another important event that occurred. Project Blue Book sent Dr. J. Allen Hynek to investigate the sighting reports. At first, Hynek agreed that there was something going on in the Michigan skies. But after consulting with the Blue Book headquarters, he changed his mind, and said that the sightings were nothing more than "swamp gas."

Hynek Changes Mind:
Hynek would later change his attitude about UFOs, and ultimately, become one of the foremost and well-known UFO proponents ever. He would be credited with coining the phrase, "close encounters of the third kind," and was a consultant on the movie by the same name. He also had a cameo role in the film. Before his death, he created the CUFOS web site, which is still maintained today.
http://ufos.about.com/od/bestufocasefiles/p/1966michigan.htm

[HuckleB]

16. There's a nice explanation of it here.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/aerospace/aviation/mystery-missile-wasnt-a-missile-at-all

[Mimosa]

17. They 'don't know' or won't say?

Right.

If they were smart they'd have a story already.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. Contrail is forming

I guess the contrail took them by surprise...

:-)

[HuckleB]

24. Yeah, because investigating things is so stupid.

They should just offer up a story out of their arses.

:eyes:

[Junkdrawer]

18. These are not the droids you're looking for.... n/t

[bigtree]

26. what about my bodily fluids?

They're stealing my bodily fluids! What about that???

[SidDithers]

27. K&R...nt

Sid