@TannerSwett Looking up from the earth's surface, I'm not sure it matters much whether the aircraft is "above the blue" or not. All that matters is the total amount of light shining up against the belly of the aircraft, and the total amount of "airlight" (light scattered off of atmosphere) between the aircraft and observer which would tend to brighten the sky between aircraft and observer and thus obscure the aircraft itself.

@TannerSwett have you ever noticed this-- when looking out across the landscape from an elevated observation place-- the conditions that make a distant bit of landscape look brightest and sharpest, is when it is in bright sunlight, but most of the intermediate landscape (and sky) between said distant landscape and observer, are in shadow. This greatly cuts down on the airlight being emitted between the observer's eye and the distant landscape,

@TannerSwett -- (ctd) landscape (and sky) between said distant landscape and observer, are in shadow. This greatly cuts down on the airlight being emitted between the observer's eye and the distant landscape, which makes the distant landscape look brighter and sharper. So, I don't think I agree with the "above the blue" explanation, because that just means there is lots of atmosphere emitting airlight between the observer and the plane, which will tend to obscure the plane.

twitter.com/LOS_Fisher/status/1148553032159940608

<<interesting nugget on Gatwick drone chaos: Sussex police now confirm that two drones were flown simultaneously during December incident. Police also signal they had decent contingency plan to deal with one drone & it was presence of multiple UAVs that caused chaos.>>

They just need AA stationed around the airport. Waive off all incoming flights, halt everything on the ground and start shooting! ;)

Wait, what??? Was this Peter's first answer ever? Even if, why does it show him with 1 rep??? Is there an imposter?

clicks on Peter's profile Oh...