Exeptional Rocket Waves Destroy Sun Dog?

Tue Feb 23, 2010 3:21 pm » by **Nickelson**

Amazing picture!

Big picture
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/ ... on_big.jpg

Explanation:
What created those rocket waves, and why did they destroy that sun dog? Close inspection of the above image shows not only a rocket rising near the center, but unusual air ripples around it and a colorful sundog to the far right. The rocket, carrying the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), lifted off two weeks ago from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA into a cold blue sky.

The SDO is designed to observe the Sun continuously over the next several years, exploring the Sun's atmosphere at high resolution and fast time scales.

The air ripples -- seen about one minute after launch -- were unexpected, as was the sudden disappearance of the sundog after the ripples passed.

Noticed and recorded by several onlookers, there has been much speculation about the origin of the ripples.

A leading hypothesis holds that the ripples resulted from a sonic boom created as the rocket broke the sound barrier, which then jumbled a thin layer of ice crystals that were aligned to create the sundog.

Lingering questions include why other rocket launches don't produce air ripples as noticeable, and why the ripples appeared more prominent above the rocket.

Source:
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/

So actually we can say we still don’t know what caused this phenomenon. Are there similar pictures out there from other rocket launches?

What do you guys think it could be?

Thu Feb 25, 2010 4:10 pm » by **Nickelson**

And still science didn't come with a good answer or explanation.

I find it strange nobody here is curious on what made this happen.

I honestly haven't the slightest idea.
:headscratch:

Fri Feb 26, 2010 8:52 am » by **Shadowkhas**

Well, I haven't ever seen any other rocket launches that had rainbows and such near them...so it's tough to judge. It may only be readily noticeable in certain weather conditions. Definitely something to keep an eye on in future rocket launches, though!

Fri Feb 26, 2010 8:54 am » by **Ordell**

awesome picture :flop:

Fri Feb 26, 2010 9:00 am » by **Lowsix**

fuckin haarp.

Fri Feb 26, 2010 9:11 am » by **jetxvii**

LowSix wrote:fuckin haarp.

AHAHAHAHHAHAHAA LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!