Dec 29, 2020
photos of high altitude rocket trails at the vandenberg air force base in california, formed as water and unburned particles of the rocket propellant condense, freeze and then expands in the less dense upper atmosphere. winds high in the atmosphere then pull, twist and turn the exhaust of the rocket into the streaks seen here.
while the exhaust plume hovers in the stratosphere and mesosphere, it becomes illuminated by the high altitude sunlight. they are rare because they require a launch time around sunrise or sunset, as well as clear skies. the particles in the exhaust must also be of a certain size to create the pinks, blues, greens, and oranges. (x)
• Today was a better day •
