Sunset Contrail Shadow Janet Furlong caught this scene close to sunset at Culpeper, Virginia as a cold front was moving in. The long sunlit contrail casts a dark shadow onto high cloud. The contrail 'looks' as though it is lower than the clouds and the sun is somehow casting the shadow upwards. Can that ever be? Images ©Janet Furlong, shown with permission |
The advancing cold front clouds with lower side irregularities sunlit. |
Can the sun shine and cast shadows upwards? |
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Other contrail shadows are as deceptive where the contrail is actually above a layer of thin translucent cloud and the sun casts the contrail shadow down upon it. |