So where do all the ice crystals go then?

[The Admiral]

I've got a major E-W air corridor into and over Heathrow, about 20 miles to the South, and we are under an air corridor to the NW, which joins the E-W one. So we don't stand much chance.

To the South

and to the West

These were from around lunch-time today. I guess all these trails are from over-flying aircraft en-route to beyond the UK. They never seemed to stop traversing the skies.

Do these ice crystals evaporate as the day wears on, or do they just spread out to produce the horrible milky haze you can see beginning to form here? My guess is the latter. Why I try to do astrophotography from here, goodness only knows, but I do. Or at least, I plan to return to it when I get my ZWO mount .

Ian

[Mognet]

I get similar here. It wasn't until the first lockdown that I noticed just how many planes flew overhead every day here. It seems that they're on the descent for Heathrow and pass over at around 10,000 feet. They stop landing there about 11pm, but now the Stansted planes are being routed across here at night. And then there's the higher altitude stuff too

I'm starting to wonder if the vapour trails and ice crystals are having an effect on seeing too. The skies were way better than this only a few years ago

[Laurieast]

On 30/04/2022 at 15:33, The Admiral said:

Do these ice crystals evaporate as the day wears on, or do they just spread out to produce the horrible milky haze you can see beginning to form here?

I get that here, they spread out over hours sometimes, and then you get as you say milky skies. They go just west of the zenith going north here, then turn left for North America.
When Covid started it all stopped, and had some of the best seeing for years. 

[The Admiral]

Sadly, much of England is overflown.

Ian

 

[Gfamily]

When Eyeaj Eyjak Eiyjak that volcano erupted in Iceland  few years back it was noticeable how much clearer the skies were by early evening - far less of that high level milkiness that we saw at other times. 

And the shut-down of US Airspace after 9/11 led to measurable effects on the diurnal temperature changes over much of North America as I recall - there was much more efficient temperature loss at night. 

I believe I read somewhere that 'smart' scheduling of airline routes to fly at altitudes to minimise the production of contrails would do something like mitigate 25% of the Greenhouse gas effects  and only take 1 or 2 % more fuel.  I don't know the details - so don't quote me as an authority. 

[Gfamily]

4 minutes ago, The Admiral said:

Sadly, much of England is overflown.

Ian

 

I was going to say that since that was released in 2014, there has been a change to the management of planes in UK airspace, which means that rather than the relatively narrow 'flightpaths' across UK shown in that visualisation have now been relaxed and that aircraft can now be found over a much wider area 

However, a quick look at the NATS website suggests that there is a current review of the use of airspace, that might (might) result in more precisely defined corridors.  https://www.nats.aero/airspace/future/ 

But who knows?  We're in NW England, and seemingly under one of the main high level flight paths, so I don't expect it to get any better  

[The Admiral]

7 minutes ago, Gfamily said:

I was going to say that since that was released in 2014, there has been a change to the management of planes in UK airspace, which means that rather than the relatively narrow 'flightpaths' across UK shown in that visualisation have now been relaxed and that aircraft can now be found over a much wider area 

However, a quick look at the NATS website suggests that there is a current review of the use of airspace, that might (might) result in more precisely defined corridors.  https://www.nats.aero/airspace/future/ 

But who knows?  We're in NW England, and seemingly under one of the main high level flight paths, so I don't expect it to get any better  

Thanks for that, not altogether reassuring, information!

You mention an increase of 1-2% in more fuel, but I guess that amounts to a not insignificant increase in costs for airlines. So they won't do it! And the government won't be keen to be seen as supporting fuel use.

Ian