Nothing special from an observer's point of view about an SR-71 (or U2) descent.
OTOH, 50 years of R&D following the X-15 design program would probably result in a spectacular re-entry.
As a trained and experienced observer, I realize the impossibility of accurately estimating size, and speed when you know neither altitude nor horizontal distance, Having said that, do you have any feel for how far north it had traveled before it started its ?eastward? turn?
FWIW, have you observed a shuttle reentry or a SR-71 return from max altitude/speed? If so, how did it compare?
I know there are -- supposedly --no more SR-71s flying, but I seriously doubt that we haven't replaced the Blackbird and its capabilities with something with better performance...
Please keep us informed if you learn more about this phenomenon!
Nothing special from an observer's point of view about an SR-71 (or U2) descent.
OTOH, 50 years of R&D following the X-15 design program would probably result in a spectacular re-entry.
"I've read through the whole thread, and am inclied to take your observation seriously."
I don't and here are a few reasons:
1. she is knowledgable about this kind of phenomenom.
2. She has the vocabulary to explain this kind of phenomenon.
3. She know of sites (she mentioned what I think was an airforce base) and has knowledge of other similar phenomena.
4. She had binoculars handy to look at the phenomenom.
If you read all of her posts, I'm sure you will find other reasons as to why there is nothing to what she saw. Mind you, I'm saying that she may have actually seen something in the sky, but it's of no particular importance.
The FAS guys show 3 operational at Edwards...
Serial numbers 64-17967, 64-17971, 64-17980
Pretty good SR-71 history and details...
http://www.fas.org/irp/program/collect/sr-71.htm
gil in Tucson
The guy who could answer those questions has gone to bed! But I will mark this post and ask him tomorrow. I can tell you this much -- that when I was posting a request on this thread to folks in Sacramento asking if they could see it, as I pushed the "Post" button, he laughed at the futility of my posting that, saying "It's over Alaska by now." And he meant it.
Husband, who's the one who first spotted and watched this thing with binocs for three to five minutes from upstairs window, with panoramic view, says:
How far north it had traveled before it started its eastward turn? Would say probably started eastward turn 50 miles north of here (Carbon Canyon, between Chino Hills and Brea).
Have not observed shuttle or SR-71 reentry, only shuttle and missile launches.
As for contrails vs burn: it was definitely a surface heat burn -- it was a heat color, a contrail of condensation. Without moisture or condensation, jet engine exhaust is invisible from that altitude; all you can see is jet afterburner if you're close, but you won't see it from this altitude, which he guesses as upper regions of the stratosphere. And it was descending, not going up; it gained speed as it got lower, when first seen it was hardly moving at all, it was so high. Looked to him similar to what you'd see in Gemini reentry where the heat was flaring around the object so it came out in two long curving fingers. There was bright flash momentarily, and snuffed out and kept its burn, and then started making gradual turn to the north. Burn color wasn't white, it was like a pale warm yellow, bright.
Sidenote: SR-71 pilot Bob Gilliland once told husband that it took half the state of Texas to turn the craft around. This plane was over Edwards part of the time we saw it, maybe preparing to angle back for a landing. Who knows. Husband is presently creating a drawing of what it looked like, which I will try to post here later.