6 ms·

I'm not an expert on fighter thermal signatures, but this sort of looks like the rear output of two engines followed by usage of the afterburners maybe? http:/

I'm not an expert on fighter thermal signatures, but this sort of looks like the rear output of two engines followed by usage of the afterburners maybe? http://i51.tinypic.com/20fs0pf.jpg http://i51.tinypic.com/20fs0pf.jpg It may correspond to known aircraft configuration, or an unknown one, but it doesn't seem like there's anything anomalous about it...

kowdermeister 10y ago
This thing just hovers there, slowly moving. Seeing noting in the visible spectrum is not anomalous?
- awinter-py 10y ago
  Not hovering -- seems to be matching velocity at 130kas. (which is slow for a twin-engine fighter jet).
- flosstop 10y ago
  Here my guess: - It appears stationary as it is travelling towards the camera and very far away. - It isn't apparent in the visible spectrum because of cloud/haze between it and the camera. - The plume appears as it passes through a layer of cloud and heats the moisture therein.
  - Applejinx 10y ago
    Absolutely. It's a twin engined something, and we're seeing the heat signature. May not even be an unusual aircraft.
    - heatButNoRadar 10y ago
      How come no radar signature. Is that not unusual for aircraft, or are most aircraft radar absorbing?
      - hindsightbias 10y ago
        Most civilian ATC radars are 'Secondary' radars which depend on cooperative transponders on all aircraft. If you turn your transponder off, the system doesn't work. US ATC uses 'Primary' radars as backup for locating aircraft that don't have transponders or don't have them on. Militaries use Primary radars for most of their activities. Other articles don't provide distinction on what type of radar was used.
  - libraryatnight 10y ago
    I've experienced this a few times driving near the airport. It's really mind blowing until the highway changes direction a bit and the illusion is ruined.
  - kowdermeister 10y ago
    Seeing that blog post this is probably the case.
  - madaxe_again 10y ago
    I think that's sound - and the "plumes" from the object would make sense as turbulence from its passage seen head-on. I'd love to have a straightforward explanation to this mystery too, which was a few months before this was filmed, and has been an itch in my mind for the intervening years. http://www.pbase.com/flying_dutchman/pacific_eruption http://www.pbase.com/flying_dutchman/pacific_eruption
1024core 10y ago
SR-71 ? Could explain the fact that it wasn't detected by radar. And the twin exhausts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_SR-71_Blackbird https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_SR-71_Blackbird
- hydrogen18 10y ago
  That's a unique theory, especially considering the SR-71 is anything but stealthy.
  - empath75 10y ago
    And decommed.
    - PhantomGremlin 10y ago
      And would stall well above 130 knots. FWIW here's a story by a former SR-71 driver that makes it clear that the plane isn't capable of flying that slowly. http://oppositelock.kinja.com/what-was-the-slowest-you-ever-flew-in-the-blackbird-1501361885 http://oppositelock.kinja.com/what-was-the-slowest-you-ever-...
awqrre 10y ago
It appears to be a lot longer then the one shown in the picture that you posted

kowdermeister 10y ago

This thing just hovers there, slowly moving. Seeing noting in the visible spectrum is not anomalous?

awinter-py 10y ago
Not hovering -- seems to be matching velocity at 130kas. (which is slow for a twin-engine fighter jet).
flosstop 10y ago
Here my guess: - It appears stationary as it is travelling towards the camera and very far away. - It isn't apparent in the visible spectrum because of cloud/haze between it and the camera. - The plume appears as it passes through a layer of cloud and heats the moisture therein.
- Applejinx 10y ago
  Absolutely. It's a twin engined something, and we're seeing the heat signature. May not even be an unusual aircraft.
  - heatButNoRadar 10y ago
    How come no radar signature. Is that not unusual for aircraft, or are most aircraft radar absorbing?
    - hindsightbias 10y ago
      Most civilian ATC radars are 'Secondary' radars which depend on cooperative transponders on all aircraft. If you turn your transponder off, the system doesn't work. US ATC uses 'Primary' radars as backup for locating aircraft that don't have transponders or don't have them on. Militaries use Primary radars for most of their activities. Other articles don't provide distinction on what type of radar was used.
- libraryatnight 10y ago
  I've experienced this a few times driving near the airport. It's really mind blowing until the highway changes direction a bit and the illusion is ruined.
- kowdermeister 10y ago
  Seeing that blog post this is probably the case.
- madaxe_again 10y ago
  I think that's sound - and the "plumes" from the object would make sense as turbulence from its passage seen head-on. I'd love to have a straightforward explanation to this mystery too, which was a few months before this was filmed, and has been an itch in my mind for the intervening years. http://www.pbase.com/flying_dutchman/pacific_eruption http://www.pbase.com/flying_dutchman/pacific_eruption

1024core 10y ago

SR-71 ? Could explain the fact that it wasn't detected by radar. And the twin exhausts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_SR-71_Blackbird https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_SR-71_Blackbird

hydrogen18 10y ago
That's a unique theory, especially considering the SR-71 is anything but stealthy.
- empath75 10y ago
  And decommed.
  - PhantomGremlin 10y ago
    And would stall well above 130 knots. FWIW here's a story by a former SR-71 driver that makes it clear that the plane isn't capable of flying that slowly. http://oppositelock.kinja.com/what-was-the-slowest-you-ever-flew-in-the-blackbird-1501361885 http://oppositelock.kinja.com/what-was-the-slowest-you-ever-...

awqrre 10y ago

It appears to be a lot longer then the one shown in the picture that you posted