Shadow Landing

[jclalor 12]

I thought this was kind of cool, I didn't notice my shadow on the jump when I was landing, only when I watched the video. I have never seen a shadow with this much clarity.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnA2BTVY4DE&feature=g-upl

[erdnarob 1]

Very intresting this approach while seeing your shadow. I know that DZ, this is Lodi (Parachute Center) Ca. I can see you doing your base over or near highway 99 and aim for the grassy landing area. What surprises me is the sandy color of the surrounding fields. What did they do with the grass ? Do they want start a vineyard up there ? I did the same approach many times even going across the highway to start the final when there was almost no wind.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[5.samadhi 0]

correct me if I am wrong but it is a phenomenon that occurs when you are situated between something solid and the sun.

I have seen this "shadow" once.

[JohnMitchell 14]

wow, looks photo shopped

[NewGuy2005 51]

Didn't there used to be vineyards next to the landing area?

[jclalor 12]

There still there.

[dthames 0]

Note from about the 8 second mark until 20+ seconds there is extra light around the subject's shadow. I don't know what this is called but you can see it from aircraft too. On a small jet I have seen that about 5000+ feet there is just a bright spot on the ground, moving with the aircraft and reflecting off of buildings, highways signs, and other reflective objects. As you get lower, the aircraft shadow starts appearing in the center of the bright spot. I have seen this under canopy as well, but not as pronounced. It "appears" the light is being bent around the object like a lense.

I think it is related to your perspective. Your buddy flying off to the side of you might see his shadow the same way but yours look sort of normal to him. (I think).

Great shot.

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[wolfriverjoe 1,340]

Quote

Note from about the 8 second mark until 20+ seconds there is extra light around the subject's shadow. I don't know what this is called but you can see it from aircraft too. On a small jet I have seen that about 5000+ feet there is just a bright spot on the ground, moving with the aircraft and reflecting off of buildings, highways signs, and other reflective objects. As you get lower, the aircraft shadow starts appearing in the center of the bright spot. I have seen this under canopy as well, but not as pronounced. It "appears" the light is being bent around the object like a lense.

I think it is related to your perspective. Your buddy flying off to the side of you might see his shadow the same way but yours look sort of normal to him. (I think).

Great shot.

There's a phenomenom called an "Aviator's Halo" that is a circular rainnow around the shadow of an airplane on a cloud (the shadow is on the cloud, not the airplane). It's pretty cool to see.

I know someone who saw their own shadow on the top of a cloud while in freefall. He was amazed to see the rainbow around it.
And was a little bummed when I explained that it wasn't that unusual.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[erdnarob 1]

A shadow is always on the same straight line going from the light source to the object (the jumper in this case) and to the shadow. It is the same for a rainbow. When seeing a rainbow, the sun, the spectator and the centre of the rainbow are always on the same straight line (when being on the ground, you see only a partial rainbow thus its centre is often below the horizon or on the ground when the sun is very near the horizon). Therefore it is normal for a jumper in freefall to see his shadow projected on a cloud (if any) and having a complete rainbow (circle) centered on the shadow. Rainbows are seen when there are droplets of water and a cloud is actually made of tiny droplets.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[erdnarob 1]

The light is an electromagnetic wave and behave as a wave. That means that when light goes around an object (here the jumper) there is what we call a interference phenomenon due to waves addition and substraction. The extra light around the shadow can likely be a positive interference (addition) with a light enhancement as a result. Any shadow has that pattern if you are able to look at it closely in the right conditions. Actually, the light (and waves in general) are able to go partially around an object. Experiment : At the sunset preferably, look cautiously at an object (a tree trunk or the edge of a building) with the sun just behind. You can then easily see the light gnawning the trunk or edge.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[adagen 0]

Earthbound equivalent is called a Brocken Spectre, sometimes seen by mountaineers when they're above the clouds. Google takes you to lots of sites explaining the optics behind it.

Anne

[wildcard451 0]

Quote

I thought this was kind of cool, I didn't notice my shadow on the jump when I was landing, only when I watched the video. I have never seen a shadow with this much clarity.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnA2BTVY4DE&feature=g-upl

Is it hard to flare a tandem canopy by yourself?

[jclalor 12]

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Is it hard to flare a tandem canopy by yourself?