Feathery Cirrus and Hole Punch

July 09, 2015

Featherycirrus

PhotographerMishall Miller
Summary Authors: Mishall Miller; Jim Foster

This feathery cirrus cloud, seemingly mimicking the palm fronds in the foreground, was observed over Port Orange, Florida. It's likely that the mares' tails formed in conjunction with a hole punch cloud when a jet aircraft ruptured a shallow altostratus or perhaps cirrostratus cloud deck. Fallstreaks are almost always evident when hole punches are noted. In this case, the "feather" itself is composed of fallstreaks. Photo taken in February 2015. 

Photo Details: Camera Maker: Apple; Camera Model: iPhone 5; Focal Length: 4.1mm (35mm equivalent: 33mm); Aperture: ƒ/2.4; Exposure Time: 0.0003 s (1/3876); ISO equiv: 50.