Mystery Missile over LA

[Timewarrior2001]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11721981


The launch took place around 5pm (local time) on Monday and the location was described as west of LA, north of Catalina Island, and about 35 miles out to sea.
Surely this would put it on a collision course with flight paths into LAX?

Any of guys able to shed any light on this?

 

[Swan]

It's been determined NOT to be a missile, just the con trail of an airplane at 30K feet from the direction of Hawaii. It's funny how perspective can look like a vertical liftoff.

 

[Timewarrior2001]

If thats a contrail it wouldnt pass California emissions laws!!!

And I certainly wouldnt want to fly on that jet.

 

[Doodoobubbachuck]

LOL Timewarrior!! At this time of year we see the contrails of planes heading into and out of the LA basin all the time. Notice that it was a shot from one of the channel 2 / 9 news helicopters looking at an odd angle that recorded this picture. We have satellites in orbit whose job is to detect and report missile and booster launches, none of them reported anything. Must have been a light news day to generate so much BS. If you look closely you can see that the contrail from the left side and the right side swirl a bit. Rocket nozzles are too close to generate this pattern, they tend to blend together at the source..

 

[Swan]

If thats a contrail it wouldnt pass California emissions laws!!!

Ummmh, really?

Con trails are produced when hot vapor (even water will do this) mixes with the frigid moisture in the high altitude atmosphere. It's called CONdensation, hence Con trail. It has NOTHING to do with pollution, however I freely admit that jet engines produce hydrocarbon pollution.

The color density that you mistake for pollution is caused by the upper level lighting of the Sun thru all that upper level moisture in the atmosphere. Again, it has NOTHING to do with pollution, clouds do this all the time at sunrise and sunset.

Sorry to burst your bubble, Chicken Little, but the Sky is NOT falling.

 

[Timewarrior2001]

Ummmh, really?

Con trails are produced when hot vapor (even water will do this) mixes with the frigid moisture in the high altitude atmosphere. It's called CONdensation, hence Con trail. It has NOTHING to do with pollution, however I freely admit that jet engines produce hydrocarbon pollution.

The color density that you mistake for pollution is caused by the upper level lighting of the Sun thru all that upper level moisture in the atmosphere. Again, it has NOTHING to do with pollution, clouds do this all the time at sunrise and sunset.

Sorry to burst your bubble, Chicken Little, but the Sky is NOT falling.

Hyrdocarbon pollution is the same as what cars produce. Jet engines still burn fuel, it has to exhaust somewhere.
Now..whilst restoring the mustang we constantly come across items, that are legal here in the UK but dont conform to emissions laws in california....and some of the stuff thats street legal here isnt in California.
Yet we have strict emissions laws for our cars.

So whilst a large part of the contrail will be water vapour, there are also harmfull pollutants in there too, such as carbon monoxide, unless the hydrocarbon is burned in pure oxygen and achieves complete combustion.

I also remind you that as a student pilot I see a lot of contrails....and thats an unusual one.


Anyway yeah it was probably a slow news day......but I still think that theres a little more to it than it was a jet. Was the jet venting fuel? etc

 

[Kirsten "Bruce Chickinson"]

LOL Timewarrior!! At this time of year we see the contrails of planes heading into and out of the LA basin all the time. Notice that it was a shot from one of the channel 2 / 9 news helicopters looking at an odd angle that recorded this picture. We have satellites in orbit whose job is to detect and report missile and booster launches, none of them reported anything. Must have been a light news day to generate so much BS. If you look closely you can see that the contrail from the left side and the right side swirl a bit. Rocket nozzles are too close to generate this pattern, they tend to blend together at the source..

Linda, you've been keeping the fact that you're also a ROCKET SCIENTIST from me??!!

And the rest of ya's, too--I always knew Maiden/Maidens fans were smart cookies!

 

[Doodoobubbachuck]

LMAO!! Well, I can't take credit for that statement. It was merely a quote from my Dad who, by the way, is the most intelligent person I have ever known on this planet!! Rockets, missiles, satellites, space are his thing!

 

[Swan]

... Jet engines still burn fuel, it has to exhaust somewhere ... So whilst a large part of the contrail will be water vapour, there are also harmfull pollutants in there too,

Anyway yeah it was probably a slow news day......but I still think that theres a little more to it than it was a jet. Was the jet venting fuel?

Yup, I freely admit jet engines have exhaust and pollute.

I heard they determined it was a Northwest Airlines flight from Hawaii to Philidephia (?), so I'd guess they still need a fair amount of fuel to cross the USA.

It's amazing and often spectacular, how the Sun's oblique angles thru the atmosphere enhance and colorize moisture and particulates. As an Astronomer, I've seen my fair share of sunsets and sunrises, and the obscuring effects of water vapor and particulates.

We've had several major Volcanoes erupt in the past 2-3 weeks (twice in Indonesia), and Scientists are concerned about the ash effects on weather and winter. Just like Pinatubo in '91. Maybe the sky IS falling.

Peace out.

 

[Timewarrior2001]

Linda, you've been keeping the fact that you're also a ROCKET SCIENTIST from me??!!

And the rest of ya's, too--I always knew Maiden/Maidens fans were smart cookies!

Lol who's smart?

When I fly I have to keep one hand on the yoke and turn ther page with the other.
Oh yes when I am in control of an aircraft I am still reading the f***in manual!
And they say men cant multitask

Classy!

 

[Red Shirt]

LOL Timewarrior!! At this time of year we see the contrails of planes heading into and out of the LA basin all the time. Notice that it was a shot from one of the channel 2 / 9 news helicopters looking at an odd angle that recorded this picture. We have satellites in orbit whose job is to detect and report missile and booster launches, none of them reported anything. Must have been a light news day to generate so much BS. If you look closely you can see that the contrail from the left side and the right side swirl a bit. Rocket nozzles are too close to generate this pattern, they tend to blend together at the source..

Not only that, but most ballistic missiles are supersonic, with that comes a shock wave, something that is usually visible. With the right lighting (like a sunset) they can be pretty cool to see. This video did not have any shock wave coming from it.