Couple baffled after spotting surreal phenomenon with line showing in front of plane — and ask what's causing it
Published on May 01, 2026 at 5:42 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on May 01, 2026 at 5:42 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
A couple have taken to Reddit to query about a surreal front of plane phenomena.
We’re all used to seeing contrails trailing out of the back of planes in the sky – and feeling a twinge of envy that others are jetting off for a vacation.
But have you ever noticed a faint line in front of the train?
One couple did and headed to the internet to get an explanation.
Contrails are one thing, but this photo shows something new
We’re all fairly acquainted with the contrails that come out of the back of planes.
There’s footage aplenty online showing how big they can get, and clips from onboard the plane showing it off.
Over the years, they’ve attracted their fair share of conspiracy theories.
One captain had to take to the internet to clarify what it was.
“Is it smoke coming from the back of the airplane, is it condensation, is it chemicals with which I am seeding the planet?” YouTuber and pilot Captain Steeeve asked.
“Well, it’s not smoke, and it’s not chemicals, and it’s not exactly condensation either, [well] it is a little bit.
“Those are actually small ice particles, and they are created when my hot engine goes through that super cold air at altitude, minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit.”
That makes sense – but what’s the deal with this plane phenomena spotted by a couple?
In a photo shared to Reddit, a plane was seen flying across a blue sky, with contrail trailing behind it.
But what about the line in front of the plane?
Here’s what this front of plane line is
One person came forward with an explanation.
“It is the shadow of the contrail in the atmosphere. the same thing you see with a searchlight at night in reverse,” a user explained.
Think of it this way – contrails are made up of dense water droplets, meaning they interact with light like any other object.
In order for a contrail to cast shadows, a few things have to happen.
The sun should be a relatively low angle, and the contrail needs to sit between the sun and a lower ‘screen’ of clouds.
At first glance, it looks wrong and it is easy to understand why people would look twice at it.
But it’s just another fascinating insight into the science behind planes.
Following stints at LadBible, The Sun, The New York Post, and the Daily Mail, Ben joined the team full-time in February 2025. In his role as Senior Content Writer, his sparkling copy, the ability to sniff out a good story at 100 paces, and a GSOH quickly led to him becoming an integral and invaluable member of the writing staff.
