APOD: Plane Crossing a Crescent Moon (2019 Feb 12)

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APOD: Plane Crossing a Crescent Moon (2019 Feb 12)

Post by APOD Robot » Tue Feb 12, 2019 5:06 am

Image Plane Crossing a Crescent Moon

Explanation: No, this is not a good way to get to the Moon. What is pictured is a chance superposition of an airplane and the Moon. The contrail would normally appear white, but the large volume of air toward the setting Sun preferentially knocks away blue light, giving the reflected trail a bright red hue. Far in the distance, well behind the plane, is a crescent Moon, also slightly reddened. Captured a month ago above Valais, Switzerland, the featured image was taken so soon after sunset that planes in the sky were still in sunlight, as were their contrails. Within minutes, unfortunately, the impromptu sky show ended. The plane crossed the Moon and moved out of sight. The Moon set. The contrail became unilluminated and then dispersed.

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Re: APOD: Plane Crossing a Crescent Moon (2019 Feb 12)

Post by Nitpicker » Tue Feb 12, 2019 5:22 am

Very nice. But the caption gets the sequence a little out of order. The Moon set about six hours later. (It would need to be a very young, slender, crescent Moon to set so soon after sunset.)

Edit: On second thought, it is pretty mountainous in Valais. Maybe the Moon did set behind a mountain shortly afterwards. But the Moon has an altitude of ~45 degrees in the APOD. I'd like to see that mountain!

khh

Re: APOD: Plane Crossing a Crescent Moon (2019 Feb 12)

Post by khh » Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:28 am

AHA! Chemtrails!

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Re: APOD: Plane Crossing a Crescent Moon (2019 Feb 12)

Post by Astronymus » Tue Feb 12, 2019 9:08 am

khh wrote: Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:28 amAHA! Chemtrails!
You better start spraying vinegar on a fan. :lol2:
»Only a dead Earth is a good Earth.«

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Re: APOD: Plane Crossing a Crescent Moon (2019 Feb 12)

Post by orin stepanek » Tue Feb 12, 2019 12:35 pm

Almost looks as if the plane is landing on the moon! :mrgreen: :wink:
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Re: APOD: Plane Crossing a Crescent Moon (2019 Feb 12)

Post by neufer » Tue Feb 12, 2019 2:10 pm

Click to play embedded YouTube video.
Art Neuendorffer

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Re: APOD: Plane Crossing a Crescent Moon (2019 Feb 12)

Post by Nitpicker » Wed Feb 13, 2019 9:02 pm

That's a beautiful song and video, Art, thanks. I won't even deduct marks for the superimposed moon at the end.

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