Is that a comet? Videos and photos by ‘Krone’ reader reporter Andreas Syen from Grundlsee raise this question. On the horizon you will see a glowing ball with a tail. But there is actually something completely different behind it.
What is this glowing tail that Andreas Syen filmed from his balcony in the Grundlsee on Thursday at 4:55 PM? At first glance you think it’s a comet! Could it be C/2024 G3 Atlas, which is currently racing past the sun at 87 miles per second and could be visible in our night sky?
We asked Michele Salmi, Ubimet meteorologist: “It is very (very) very likely that it is the contrail of an airplane flying past at (or shortly after) sunset,” he unfortunately has to disappoint.
Evening red enhances the effect
In the evening glow the stripe is often particularly bright and has beautiful colors. “The reddish rays of the sun can still reach the aircraft and its contrails at an altitude of about eight to ten kilometers at the end of the day, while it is already dark on the ground,” Salmi explains.
Another clue as to why it is probably an airplane: the strip evaporates relatively quickly, “because it is still relatively cold at higher altitudes, but also extremely dry.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
