Contrail and Shadow Over Smoke Creek Desert, Nevada

Photographer: John Kupersmith; John's Flickr site
Summary Author: John Kupersmith; Jim Foster

Looking north from Smoke Creek Desert, Nevada, I noticed this jet contrail accompanied by its hazy shadow. The late afternoon Sun is casting the shadow of the aircraft's contrail onto a cirrostratus cloud deck. Although the contrail shadow appears to be higher than the cloud deck, it's at a lower altitude (or at least a similar altitude). The contrail's zigs and zags match up quite well with those of its much fainter shadow. Typically, the synchronization of the contrail and shadow are move obvious when the Sun's higher in the sky because from the viewer's perspective there's less distortion. Photo taken on March 8, 2014.

Photo details: Sony RX-10 camera; aperture priority, ISO 125, 1/320 sec. exposure; f/5.6.

• Smoke Creek Desert, Nevada Coordinates: 40.489069, -119.730755
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• Student Links
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