Contrail Spotting

Planespotting in the upper atmosphere! All pictures, reports or whatever question about upper level traffic come here

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contrailwatcherUK
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Post by contrailwatcherUK »

Skystef wrote:What are your experiences with the new telescope? is an f/8 ratio light strong enough (also at dusk) in combination with the viewfinder of your DSLR? And what about the upside down images, typical for reflectors: do you use a erecting prism?
My new telescope is quite good, except for the fact that it is a bit too heavy. Apart from that I like it a lot. One other problem is that it is not very good for taking contrail shots where the sun is not shining on the plane. The telescope is not very good at taking dusk photos as the light levels are too low and the outcome is usually blurry. About the upside down images, I just take the photo and then rotate it on my computer.

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Skystef
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Post by Skystef »

contrailwatcherUK wrote: My new telescope is quite good, except for the fact that it is a bit too heavy.
What do you mean by heavy, the weight of yourself ;) ?
I've heard that a mirror scope has to collimated each time again, otherwise you get unsharp images or colorshifts. Also the mirror has to cool down or warm up when transported to an environment (outside) with different temperatures, can take up an hour or so. Seems a lot of (heavy) pre work for perhaps five minutes spotting. Your ideas? If you can, add more pics taken with your new toy + any relevant commentary about it. Thanks.

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Skystef
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Post by Skystef »

Dot spotting in these dark days is just a matter of having a lot of luck with the weather. Last couple of weeks not much joy and when some rare breaks occur, you need to have some spare moments to get outside.

Today 08/01/07 was a combination of both: in half an hour of sunny spells between 1345-1415LT only the LTU A330-200 D-ALPB enroute DUS-JFK came out of the pipe. Anyhow it turned out to be a nice shot as the plane was still climbing (was <30.000ft) but had a contrail and that's the sport.

Image

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Skystef
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Post by Skystef »

Time to add some dots, all traffic taken near BRU & seen on UL608, except the Asiana which was captured on UL607.

January 14 2007

Surrounded by Cirrus clouds, Royal Air Force Tristar ZE706 enroute to Brize Norton as RR3247.
Image

THY A332 TC-JNE enroute IST-LHR as TK1991.
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Air India B744 VT-ESP enroute BOM-LHR as AI125.
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Amiri Flight B738 A6-AUH enroute to Farnborough as 199.
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MK Airlines B742 9G-MKR enroute CAI-OST as MKA228.
Image



January 15 2007

Air India B744 VT-ESM enroute DEL-JFK via LHR as AI111.
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Asiana B744F HL7604 enroute STN-SEL via FRA as AAR593H.
Image

THY A343 TC-JDK enroute IST-JFK as TK0001.
Image

Cyprus Airways A332 5B-DBT enroute PFO-LHR as CYP504.
Image

peacemaker
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Post by peacemaker »

cool shots, amazing what some lenses can do :P

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a380man
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Post by a380man »

Nice shot of the A6-AUH 737 i like it alot! :shock:

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contrailwatcherUK
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Post by contrailwatcherUK »

Hi, sorry for the late reply :(

21 Jan 07
SIA21:
Image

SLM995?
Image

CKS207:
Image

ETD502:
Image

DAL11:
Image

BAW2157:
Image

TOM5143:
Image

BAW2157:
Image

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Skystef
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Post by Skystef »

Some nice pics ContrailUK, perhaps you could add the number of UL were saw them.


Some shots near BRU on UL608, except the Korean.

February 3 2007.

RAF Tristar ZE704 enroute to Brize Norton as RRR3245
Image

Lauda Air B763 OE-LAT enroute VIE-YYZ as AUA71.
Image

SriLankan A343 4R-ADE enroute CMB-LHR as ALK505
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Turkish A343 TC-JDM enroute IST-JFK as THY1
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Korean Air B744 HL7402 enroute SEL-CDG as KAL0901
Image



February 4 2007.

Royal Jordanian A342 JY-AIB enroute AMM-JFK as RJA261
Image


No pics of other (Belgian) dot fans?
Last edited by Skystef on 05 Feb 2007, 22:49, edited 1 time in total.

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Bottie
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Post by Bottie »

Skystef wrote:No pics of other (Belgian) dot fans?
When I find 5 minutes of free time ;)

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Skystef
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Post by Skystef »

Bottie wrote:
Skystef wrote:No pics of other (Belgian) dot fans?
When I find 5 minutes of free time ;)
Between the soup & potatos perhaps :idea:

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Bruspotter
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Post by Bruspotter »

Hello

Nice pictures again! :P

Does it only looks like the SQ 345 has one smaller engine or IS it a FACT?
To me it seems he had to change one engine :P Engine N°2 :P


Best regards: Yannick ;)

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contrailwatcherUK
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Post by contrailwatcherUK »

well here is a photo of that plane, but it really does look like the nuber 2 engine is different!!! :lol:
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0954925/L/

Skystef, nice pics!! You live under a very busy airway UL607/8, i suppose a plane passes overhead every minute or so...? lol

Some shots from the weekend:

Saturday
LTU908 (UN20):
Image
MPH607 (UM140):
Image
RYR1972 (UM140):
Image
CRL??? (UM140):
Image
LCO1500 (UN20):
Image
TFL??? (UN20):
Image
CSA8083? (UN20):
Image
CLX775A (UN20):
Image
NAX??? (UN20):
Image

Sunday:
SQC7883 (UM140):
Image

BTW I dont know if any of you know about www.OpenATC.com it is a great website which allows you to monitor your live airspace in google earth or google maps. It sometimes provides data for Belgium :)
Here is a screenshot I took of the SQ 345 as it passes overhead:
Image

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Skystef
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Post by Skystef »

Hi contrailUK,

yes, I live under quite a busy upper cross road. I rarely see no aircraft on these routes, sometimes up to 15.

The atc.com is well known, but of course all depends on the willingness of putting a SBS on the net, so last couple of weeks quite empty over Belgian territory. Luckely there is a guy in Holland who puts his SBS radar screen, which includes a part of Belgium, sometimes on the internet.

Some pics of February 9 2007 taken near BRU with a scope, all UL608, except SAS & KAL on UN852.

Thomsonfly B733 G-THOH heading W.
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Lufthansa B733 D-ABIC heading W.
Image

In thin Cirrus, Kuwait Airways AB6 9K-AME enroute Kuwait-LHR as KAC103.
Image

SAS MD80 heading S
Image

Bulgaria Air 733 LZ-BOT heading W.
Image

Korean Air B744 HL7402 heading for Paris.
Image
Last edited by Skystef on 09 Mar 2007, 16:43, edited 2 times in total.

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contrailwatcherUK
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Post by contrailwatcherUK »

nice photos Skystef, looks like your gtetting closer shots now. I like your Bulgaria air shot the best! :)

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Skystef
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Post by Skystef »

Some shots of February 15 2007, near BRU, all on UL608, except both KAL's & KLM on UN852.

Turkish A332 TC-JNC enroute IST-LHR as THY1979
Image

MEA A332 F-OMEB enroute BEY-LHR as MEA201
Image

Korean Air Cargo B744(F) HL7605 enroute ICN-CDG as KAL501
Image

Condor B763 D-ABUH enroute MUC-HOG as CFG196
Image

Air India B744 VT-AIE enroute BOM-JFK (via LHR) as AI101
Image

United B772 N769UA enroute MUC-IAD as UAL903
Image

KLM MD11 PH-KCD enroute AMS-ACC as KLM589
Image
Last edited by Skystef on 09 Mar 2007, 16:38, edited 1 time in total.

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contrailwatcherUK
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Post by contrailwatcherUK »

hello,
Nice pics Skystef. I see that our aiways are connected (at DVR VOR), so on some occasions we may even see the same planes!
one from wednesday:
WOA904 (KJFK-EBBR) 9:40AM cruising on UM140
Image

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Skystef
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Post by Skystef »

contrailwatcherUK wrote:I see that our aiways are connected (at DVR VOR), so on some occasions we may even see the same planes!
Checked the upper maps, seems you are right. UL607 (my eastbound traffic passing to my south) is connected at DVR with your UM140. Btw nice shot of the DC10, don't see this type often at that altitude. Weather remains sadly quite horrible for contrail pictures, so nothing new for the time being.

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Skystef
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Post by Skystef »

All further (pictorial) reports will be grouped by month.

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