fasteagle12 Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Take a look at the link. I was browsing and found this great photo of one of the Blues on Airliners.net . I've never seen the light refracting the shock waves like this forming on around the plane. Usually, you only see a mist. http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=1286...&photo_nr=6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Take a look at the link. I was browsing and found this great photo of one of the Blues on Airliners.net . I've never seen the light refracting the shock waves like this forming on around the plane. Usually, you only see a mist. I agree, I've never quite seen that effect before either ... It almost has a "Warp" look to it, very cool ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Expat Tomcat Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 COOL ;) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Vesper Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 "Ya hear me baby, hold together. . . " Ves ;) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
David Walker Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 (edited) Looks like he's about to go back in time. Or forward. One or the other. ;) Edited November 23, 2007 by David Walker Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Midnight Storm Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 (edited) I've had a few turn out like that before. In fact I was only feet away from the same spot... same year, only I got mine a .0004 of a sec sooner and got a boat mast on the back of the jet. :) Edited November 24, 2007 by Midnight Storm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Trigger Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 "When this baby hits 588 mph, you're going to see some serious $#!t." Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 "When this baby hits 588 mph, you're going to see some serious $#!t." :) Doc Brown Rocks ! Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Julien (UK) Posted November 23, 2007 Share Posted November 23, 2007 That is one cool pic! Julien Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jack52 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 Absolutely amazing pic ! Hans Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GEH737 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 Not to be a skeptic or anything - but just how exactly does a fast moving jet bend light waves? I've seen thousands and thousands of pictures of aircraft and not one ever looked like that... Looks cool, but I'd bet someone is pulling a fast one - no pun intended. Hitch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ross blackford Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 :D Maybe it's not the aircraft refracting the light but perhaps water drawn into low pressure areas from the bay that is doing the refracting. I'm no expert on transonic/supersonic aerodynamics but that is a possibility at least to my way of thinking. Are there any aerodynamicists amongst us who can give a proper explanation of what we see here. Regardless of the scientific explanation for this phenomanen, the standard of photography is certainly first class. I wish I had that skill level. Maybe one day if I keep practising. ;) Ross. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rhinotank Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 Take a look at the link. I was browsing and found this great photo of one of the Blues on Airliners.net . I've never seen the light refracting the shock waves like this forming on around the plane. Usually, you only see a mist. http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=1286...&photo_nr=6 I'm calling BS and dropping the PhotoShop gaunlet on this one. I've been fast in a Hornet before, but never to the point that I've warped the Time-Space Continuum! ;) JMHO, Tank Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Midnight Storm Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 (edited) Some of you need to get out more, how can you call this fake? The shockwaves are a common sight on the #5 sneak pass... here is my "almost perfect" shot from the earlier season. Sometimes you gotta have luck on your side... this time it was not to be. <_< You can even see the same boats in the background of my photo and Joerg's. Edited November 24, 2007 by Midnight Storm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Midnight Storm Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 (edited) The following day made up for it. <_< Edited November 24, 2007 by Midnight Storm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChristopherC Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 Not to be a skeptic or anything - but just how exactly does a fast moving jet bend light waves? The same thing that causes water to condense, a dramatic change in pressure. Ever seen the haze above asphalt roads on hot days? It's the same principle. Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GreyGhost Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 Eddie, your shots are Excellent as well ! Still, your first shot along with the thread starter's link, those light refractions are phenomenal ! I've seen and taken plenty of shots of vapor but I've never recalled that effect before ... Good Show on proving the event ... Gregg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
snarlyq Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 The following day made up for it. WOW Those are amazing shots there!! Great job!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
martin_sam_2000 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 from what i know about aerodynamics and supersonic flight, id say its more like lookign through a fish tank(sort of the oposite of the hot road idea) as the plane nears supersonic the plane is moving forward faster than the air can move over the airframe due to friciton. this causes the air to "pile up" and compress whever it meets an obtrusion, ie. antenea, air intake, wing, tail, as can be seen in the picture. when the light hits these denser areas of air it refracts( like a fish tank) and you get that look. the pile up of air is what also creates the sonic boom. as the shock wave moves farther and farther aft the amount of air that is in tha shock wave increses, and when it reaches the rear of the aircraft, all the air is in one massive wave, producing a shock wave that can blow windows and damage ear drums. hope this makes sense, sean Quote Link to post Share on other sites
X-RAY Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 Great pics!!! Jake Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GEH737 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 I agree - the vapor pix are awesome - and always have been. However - the "bending light" photos are not genuine (in my opinion) - just because they're on the internet, doesn't make them any more "real". Considering that there have been literally millions of photos taken of the 'Angels before - and how many other fast jets - and this phenomonea has never been photographed or discussed before - what are the odds??? Any discussion of the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics is all well and good, but some time with Photoshop can "prove" a lot of things Hitch Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wakko807 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 PS: now that photoshop has been covered...Tweet...A380...flaps...false canopy...cobra...politics...did I miss any? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Midnight Storm Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 (edited) PS: now that photoshop has been covered...Tweet...A380...flaps...false canopy...cobra...politics...did I miss any? I dunno, but watching that Tweet pull a Cobra over the A380 was amazing... esp since it was painted with that False Canopy so I had no clue if it was facing up or down at the time and... ...politics. Edited November 24, 2007 by Midnight Storm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Midnight Storm Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 (edited) You might want to check this thread out, it's only 6 pages... but all of the photos are on pages 2-6. You might note this is the place were the best of the best aircraft photographers meet. You might also want to look at all of the sneak pass photos where you are looking at the side of the jet, that's when you can see the waves. You will note in almost every one you can see the ripples just before the intakes on the bottom side of the jet... other photos will have the full effect on the top and bottom. Have fun! FenceCheck Edited November 24, 2007 by Midnight Storm Quote Link to post Share on other sites
habu2 Posted November 24, 2007 Share Posted November 24, 2007 IMO the photo is real. If it is photoshopped then the artist has an advanced degree in aerodynamics and fluid mechanics. I have seen photos on F-16s with the same effect, the refraction (bending) of light through different densities of air. There is a similar technique used in supersonic wind tunnels, I believe it is called Schilerian photography. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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