Darkness at Noon

[NickFaulks]

Thanks to all for the thoughtful responses. I do mean that, but they are all ideas which I had considered and eliminated ( I had many hours to do so ). Of all the problems, the key one is the instant move from total darkness to the sun being high in the sky. An American friend has provided the answer, which she has observed on early flights from JFK to LAX. It is very simple, I just didn't know it was possible.

[AlanLlewellyn]

the altitude would make it more likely to be in the sunrise was the sunrise seen at around 6 am seen from altitude that would explain it slightly and when you landed in dubai you went back in the shadow, you might not hve gone so high the second time so you kept in darkness but the sun caught up with you.
Chris chasing the suns shadow and chasing the sunset is similar in principle in that the sunslight moves at the same speed in both cases. in one you are trying to hide from the sun in the other you are trying to see light.

[David Sedgwick]

Thanks to all for for the thoughtful responses. I do mean that, but they are all ideas which I had considered and eliminated ( I had many hours to do so ). Of all the problems, the key one is the instant move from total darkness to the sun being high in the sky. An American friend has provided the answer, which she has observed on early flights from JFK to LAX. It is very simple, I just didn't know it was possible.

Would you care to enlighten the rest of us?

[NickFaulks]

Most people on the flight have started insanely early, and the airline assume that most of them just want to get a bit more sleep, so they turn off the cabin lights. It works like putting a towel over the budgies' cage. I have witnessed this many times, and have resisted requests from the cabin crew to lower my own blind - I always book a window seat because I like looking out of the window.

Anyway, what I did not know is that in some planes the pilot can retaliate by darkening the windows centrally. I spoke to two of the cabin crew when we got off and I am quite sure they know nothing about this. My informant says there should be a way for individual passengers to override this, which I shall now investigate.

[AlanLlewellyn]

david sedgwick its obviously the reason i gave if the earths circumference is 40000km and you travel at 20km altitude thats gona add a little less shadow but you wouldnt think it would alter it much

[AlanLlewellyn]

the altitude over the middle east is higher than the altitude over europebecause the middle east has terrorism

[David Williams]

There is a misunderstanding here. Racing the sun is what happens when taking off after sunset when flying west towards the recently set Sun and trying to get back into the daylight. That was possible with Concorde. But the situation Nick described is a plane taking off after sunrise and flying west

Which is exactly the same thing, just at a different time of day.

[Carl Hibbard]

A rather silly post from Alan Llewellyn was removed.

[David Sedgwick]

A rather silly post from Alan Llewellyn was removed.

Only one?

I appreciate that he is a moderator's nightmare.

[J T Melsom]

Again whatever individual posters think of Alan's input - I think it is far better that decisions made by Carl are not subject to further public comment. There really is no need to prolong discussion. And I've yet to see anything unpleasant in a deliberate way, so if the posts are merely odd people are free to ignore the post and/or the poster without the drama.

[Carl Hibbard]

A rather silly post from Alan Llewellyn was removed.

Only one?

I appreciate that he is a moderator's nightmare.

The lower case subject names also freak me out but for now small steps.

[David Sedgwick]

... And I've yet to see anything unpleasant in a deliberate way ...

That is a generous assessment.

However, you have a point. On a future occasion, I shall send Carl a PM.

[J T Melsom]

... And I've yet to see anything unpleasant in a deliberate way ...

That is a generous assessment.

However, you have a point. On a future occasion, I shall send Carl a PM.

Thank you.
i had taken my own advice and stopped reading. I wasn't intending to single you out on this occasion and had also commented elsewhere. I'm not an expert on mental health - but it seems to me that be that we (the forum) could be more sensitive to the impact it might be having on posters. Indeed when I objected to Tim Spanton comparing those nervous about COVID to Howard Hughes, more people criticised my decision to block him, than agreed with me that the original post was inappropriate.

And I seriously doubt that Alan is half as much of a nightmare as a number of other posters.

[Matt Mackenzie]

As someone who likely knows Alan better than anyone else on this forum, I can confirm that he is a genuinely good natured and harmless guy.