Two weeks ago (Friday) we flew from NC to Saratoga Springs. My co-pilot
kept talking about the colors in the clouds. It was a sparkling CAVU day at
7500 feet over NJ and NY. I was too busy looking out the other side
reliving past flights.

I explained that the clouds below us were reflecting the fall colors on the
ground. She insisted that it wasn't that and wen I looked, we had rainbow
circles on each cloud as we passed. Quite beautiful. A fantastic day to
fly.

Now, who can explain the bright spot that our plane projects down sun? It's
like a giant headlight and is particularly noticeable late in the day with
the sun behind.

"Kobra" wrote in message
...
This may be something different, but I saw this flying to Lake George two
weeks ago. I was about 1000' above the deck with the Sun high above me.
My
frontseat passenger keep saying a circular rainbow was following us and
that
the plane's shadow was in the middle of it. She took a picture of it that
I
thought would never show up. But it did. I have to get her to scan it.

I told a friend of mine about it and he said that effect has a name. He
found it on the web and sent me this link:

http://www.touchingthelight.co.uk/features/brocken.htm

Low and behold...that is what we saw.

Kobra

"Robert Lyons" wrote in message
...
On a commercial flight recently, I saw a fascinating optical effect.
I believe I understand what I saw, but would appreciate confirmation
from experienced flyers out there.

We were at cruising altitude, mid-trip. The air was clear, except
for a thin haze layer below us, perhaps midway between the aircraft
and the ground. Visible in that haze was an image of the sun, cast
presumably by tiny lakes below us. Larger lakes didn't work - the
cast reflection would get too large and out-of-focus.

You all probably know about using pinhole viewers to see an eclipse.
You may also know that you can view an eclipse with a fragment of a
mirror, if it is small enough (or if you cover up most of a larger
mirror, leaving a small hole). It will project a perfect image of
the eclipsed sun on a convenient wall or floor. I'm pretty sure this
is what I was seeing from the air, projected on that flat haze layer.

My questions:

1) Has anyone else seen this effect? Is it well-known?

2) (the real question) has anyone seen it during an eclipse? Can you
confirm that it gives you an eclipsed image?

- Bo