Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON
Most days I’m up bright and early and on Monday morning, as I always do, I shot a couple of glances out the window to see if there was any chance of great dawn colour in the sky. Naaaah, I told myself as I turned my attention to other tasks.
About ten minutes later I went into the kitchen for something and noticed this pink slash across the sky. It was obviously not a cloud and because it was a relatively still morning I realised it was a contrail (or condensation trail) left by a high-flying jet.
The aircraft had obviously flown over after my first glimpse through the window, or else I would have seen the contrail before. But in the soft light of those magical minutes before true dawn, the contrail itself, now broadening from its original gossamer-like state, was the only thing above the horizon to reflect the light of the sun that was about to rise.
About twenty minutes later, the orientation of the contrail had shifted further east, but I couldn’t resist taking this last shot, despite the change in colour.
For other participants in Dot’s concept, go to Sky Watch HQ.
42 comments:
David: I like the pink in the contrail in the clear blue sky. the dipersion in the second shot is also special. Neat SWF.
Beautiful!
I find sunlit contrails impossible to resist too. I live near-ish to the airport and so I see them quite often. I once got a shot of (one or two?) only seen as it dissipated. It was a criss-cross type pattern. I have no idea how or why - any explanations? (my April 28 '08 post if you're interested to see it)
When I see these contrails on a blue still sky, and when there are more than one, and they cross and cross again, I am always reminded of the searchlights I saw as a child, fixing the enemy in the cross hairs, as it were.
word verification is :saggo, I resent that.
Wonderful! I must miss so much by not being an early riser.
a pinkish trail remind me of haleys comet!!
A feathery gem in the sky, turning an ordinary sunrise into extraordinary.
We don't get those jet trails when the wind is blowing as hard as it is today. When you get a chance, come visit today's post at my place. :o)
Cool shot - especially when the contrails (I grew up calling them vapor trails?!) catch the light and turn pink. Very nice. Thanks for your "blog of the week" runner up endorsement last week - you make me blush.
love ur shots
My SWF post this week : in HERE or HERE. I hope you have time to visit. Thanks
The first one is perfect !
I love this sort of shot, but unfortunately, won't see many around here for a while - the skies tend to be pretty grey this time of year. But do check out my latest SWF photo on my Photologue blog as I think I did a pretty good job on this one. Your honest appraisal would be appreciated. :)
Love the way it turned pink. Pink is always good in the sky.
Those are lovely David. I really like the pink one because I'm not used to seeing that.
Hi David. Lovely pictures of the con trail. Thanks for sharing.
We could watch the skies 24/7 and see so many images that we would like to picture.
As you say, they appear when you are caught up in something.
Have a good week.
nice .. tomorrow, you need to see my sky ... it will lift your spirit(s)
:-Daryl
Davids on the trail again I see.
Quite a capture, all that pink streaking in the sky!
the early riser always catches the best shots, :D
Quite spectacular, especially the pink!
how do you ever get where you're going? You always manage to catch these great shots-- surely you had to be somewhere getting up before everyone but one pilot.
Love these trails in the sky and wondering where they are all going. I posted one as well this week! Have a great weekend!
My Sky Watch Photos are posted Here and Here
It looks like a pink streamer!
Beautiful shots :)
Something we did as kids was to lay on our Grandmother's front lawn and watch the sky. We mainly watched for "jet tails" as we called them. We made up stories about the plane and the people aboard it, where they had left from, where they were headed to, what kind of lives they must live to be able to afford to ride in that super expensive jet plane. We weren't allowed inside on a nice day, no TV was allowed till 7 pm and we only got to watch for an hour. There were no video games or movie theater nearby...we had to entertain ourselves. It was a book or our brains that did that. I wouldn't trade my childhood for any child's, today. Thanks so much for showing me the "jet tails"...I wonder where the plane was headed...where did it leave from...who was on it? David, memories are made of this.
Sandi
Wonderful capture and lucky you looked!
A good capture to get the contrail with the great color.
What a marvelous shot! and man made, how about that! Thanks!
The color is quite unique in that first contrail... usually will see those first thing in the AM when I don't have my camera! =D
Nice photos!
~Michele~
Mountain Retreat- Canada
I don't think I've ever seen a pink contrail before -- cool! Happy SWF. :)
What a cool photo, lucky you to see this happening. Thanks for sharing with Sky Watch Friday.
we always have plenty of those around here and my son love to look at it!
FM-SWF#2-Point Edward
Great photo's & amazing colors. I love the trail.
That first shot looks like a giant drill bit. The second contrail apprears to skip just over the roof. Great captures.
Love your pictures...perfect as always! We get a lot of contrails here too. They make for some interesting pictures.
I love watching these trails..Its a childhood fascination
What a wonderful bit of luck to go back again and capture that great shot.
Nice apture for sky watch! The contrails do make nice photos at sunrise or sunset whenthe lit from low angles.
awesome entries, david! happy skywatching!
Mine's HERE! Thank you for your comments!
Fantastic pictures, especially the first!
The pink contrail is surreal. Never witnessed taht one and the second of course it's the silhouettes for me.
David - those are amazing shots - so worthwhile getting up in the early morning!
The shots are similar to mine but did you see the ducks at the top of my second picture. I should have mentioned it on the post.
A
Love the top shot. I see these all the time being in the flight path from Kingsford Smith but never that lovely pink against the sky!
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