Thursday 8 October 2009

Target practice

This isn't a particularly beautiful picture but it's interesting and is the first I've ever taken from an aeroplane. We were at 35,000 ft over Newfoundland heading from Boston to London and I just happened to look outside and saw this rainbow. The flight had hardly any passengers, it might have been because it was on the 8th anniversary of 9/11 and few people wanted to fly across the Atlantic that day, I don't know, but it was wonderful to have so much room!

It meant I could get the camera out from the overhead locker and try a shot through the window. What's the dark line leading to the rainbow? It's actually a shadow of our aircraft's contrail.

If I was some nutty conspiracy theorist I guess I could post something about this being the aircraft's targeting system for releasing its chemtrail and thereby assisting the government to control everyone's mind down below, except I don't think too many people live at this particular spot so it was clearly a waste of mind-altering chemicals.

15 comments:

Andrew Cooper said...

What you photographed is better referred to as a "glory". Photographs never seem to do them justice, sometimes vividly beautiful.

Check out http://www.atoptics.co.uk/droplets/glory.htm

Hilary said...

Wow.. that's a really cool picture. Nicely done!

Zuzana said...

Tom, congrats on the POTW at Hilary's.;)) You deserve the mention, your pictures are always out of this world.;)

Tom said...

Protege - I've no idea what this is about, but thanks anyway! I love Hilary's blog but I'm on a dialup and her beautiful pictures mean most of the time I can't read it. I tend to catch up when I have a bit of free time and have a fast connection. I will check this out though!

Hilary - bear with me, I read your blog when I can - I want to see more videos of Benny though but I do love you pictures and writing!

Tom

Tom said...

OK, I went there and didn't have to worry about bandwidth - thank you Hilary for the mention and thanks Protege for the heads up!

Tom

Grayquill said...

Hilary sent me your way - I have heard of rainbows being a perfect circle when seen from an airplane. But it's the first picture I have seen proving it - Thanks

Daryl said...

Fabulous .. I am over from Hilary's Post of the Week to say hi!

abb said...

I wonder what caused that circular rainbow. Great capture!

Over from Hilary's POTW - you deserved the mention!

Anonymous said...

Breathtaking! here from Hilary's. Congrats on POTW mention!

ds said...

Also here thanks to Hilary,and so glad I came. That is a once-in-a-lifetime shot! Beautiful.
Congratulations on your POTW mention!

Thumbelina said...

Well it might not look too clear to you but it is a great shot of a perfect true rainbow! I yearn to see one and the only other one I saw photographed was done by David McMahon. A great shot.

Over by way of Hilary's blog. Congratulations on your POTW mention!

Tom said...

Wow. I mean that sincerely. Wow.

Thank you all for your very kind comments, I haven't had such a flood of visitors before! And I didn't even think this was a particularly good photo or blog post!

I'm about to head back to the work environment I know best which is the summit of Mauna Kea and plan to take a few pictures up there. If even one or two of you stay around to see those I will be blessed!

Thank you again.

Tom

Cheffie-Mom said...

Wow!! What an interesting photo!! Congrats on the POTW Award from Hilary!!

Brian Miller said...

incredible shot...have never seen the like. congrats on the POTW!

Tom said...

Thanks, Cheffie-Mom and Brian. You visited after my thank you so didn't want you to go away thinking I was rude by not responding. I really do appreciate your comments!

Tom