Rush agrees: It was a missile off the California coast

Examiner.com ^ | 11/23/2010 | Joe Alfieri

[JoeA]

In today's broadcast, conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh said that the contrail spotted off the California coast by a KCBS news helicopter was a missile. "I've talked to experts" he said. "It was a missile." The comment puts him in line with many who doubt the administration’s characterization of the contrail seen off the California coast as that of an airplane.

[BillM]

It’s possible that it could come off one wing only believe it or not. It is a very delicate balance of pressure, temperature, and relative humidity.

[Gator113]

“most plausible explanation:”

Indeed.... ;>)

[Reeses]

Here's the full 82 page NOTICE TO MARINERS No. 45 with a map of area 18 near the end of the pdf.

[Gator113]

If this is a viable option for resolving the mystery, then isn’t it telling that the Obama administration hasn’t already completed the task and shared the results with the public?

[IYAS9YAS]

I can't reconcile the "Corkscrew Effect". I have not seen other contrails (or photos of contrails) with this phenonenom. I'm willing to have an open mind on this, and I believe that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one, but not always?

Compressed camera zoom, angle, and wind all combined to give that look.

I live in the Albuquerque area. Just this last Saturday, I was driving around and watching the skies (and the road). To my east were the Sandia Mountains. They top out just over 10,000 feet. We were getting winds to the east of the mountains, but west was fairly calm.

Just above the mountains, there was a contrail from a west-bound jet. Given the winds from the weather east of the mountains, the contrail was spreading more rapidly than normal, and the effect was to give it a cork-screw look. I wish I'd had a camera with me.

[r9etb]

That’s a very interesting picture .... an ABM launch, if I’m not mistaken?

[Reeses]

It’s possible that it could come off one wing only believe it or not.

Only in a spin when one wing is stalled. The wings generate two opposing vortexes whenever they are generating lift. In level flight the twin vortexes spread down and away from an aircraft in two expanding cone shapes, not a single cylinder shape.

[Yardstick]

Rush the hero suddenly becomes Rush the villain

Not a villain, just wrong. This is the kind of area where his instincts just aren't very good.

[Reeses]

That’s a very interesting picture .... an ABM launch, if I’m not mistaken?

Yes, that's a THAAD surface to air missile being tested. The low speed corkscrew wastes some solid fuel to keep the missile within the White Sands missile test range.

[BillM]

I don't dispute the way vortexes are generated. Normally they are not visible. It is only the humidity that can make them visible. When air is compressed the relaive humidity increase, sometimes to the point of condensation. Small differences in the conditions can cause a different appearance.

[hedgetrimmer]

The ‘missile’ in your picture clearly flew over Santa Catalina island.

The actual missile was sighted north of that.

[CALawyer]

My understanding is that the KCBS camera was looking in a southwesterly direction towards Catalina Island though. At around 5:15 p.m. when the video was shot, the plane was not over Catalina but instead probably close to 100 miles to the west/southwest. The plane still would have been visible b/c of its altitude, atmospheric conditions, and the setting sun reflecting off of the aircraft.

[Hatteras]

Seal Beach? That wouldn’t be near San Diego would it?

[al baby]

No you are thinking Of La Jolla

[granite]

It is certainly the most believable explanation, but I sure would like to see the spectral analysis.

[Georgia Girl 2]

This is not a discredited rumor Dude. There are numerous missile experts who have publicly stated that it was definitely a missile. If an online blogger says it was an airplane and a retired NORAD general says it was a missile who are you going to believe?

[r9etb]

There are numerous missile experts who have publicly stated that it was definitely a missile.

Based on nothing more than a short clip of highly-zoomed video.

That these "experts" can make such a definite call, based on such limited data, calls into question the judgment of said experts.

[Churchillspirit]

Bit further north....between Long Beach and Huntington Beach.

[Wissa]

If an online blogger says it was an airplane and a retired NORAD general says it was a missile who are you going to believe?

If the blogger lays out all the evidence for why he thinks it's an airplane contrail, and the general gives zero real evidence for his position, it probably puts it at a push. When I can look at the images for myself and confirm that what the blogger is saying is right, I don't need to choose between one opinion or another anymore. I can see for myself that the evidence says it's an airplane contrail.

[Godebert]

" If an online blogger says it was an airplane and a retired NORAD general says it was a missile who are you going to believe?"

It depends on the evidence each provides. The contrail blogger has put forth a very powerful case with convincing evidence. What has your retiree put forth.....other than his opinion?