vapor trail
Jet's white line
A vapor trail is the white streak left in the sky behind an aircraft flying at high altitude, formed when hot exhaust gases meet cold air and condense into ice crystals.
Also called a contrail (from condensation trail), these linear clouds can persist for hours depending on atmospheric conditions.
We watched the vapor trails crisscross the blue sky.
Conspiracy theorists sometimes call them chemtrails, claiming they contain chemical agents.
Vapor turning to liquid
- ice crystalsSolid water formations
- cirrusHigh wispy ice formation
- humidityMoisture in atmosphere
- stratosphereSecond atmospheric layer up
troposphere · atmosphere · saturation · plume · aerosol · temperature · high-altitude · persistent
Passing very quickly
- transientTemporary, soon departing
- momentaryLasting very briefly
- fadingGradual loss of intensity
- vanishingCeasing to be visible
dissipating · temporary · short-lived · evanescent · passing · impermanent · dissolving · dispersing
Airborne transportation vehicle
- airlinerLarge commercial passenger plane
- jet engineThrust-producing aircraft powerplant
- exhaustUse up entirely
- altitudeMeasured height above reference
flightpath · airspace · afterburner · turbofan · wingtip · propulsion · aerospace · flyover
condensation
Vapor turning to liquid
- ice crystalsSolid water formations
- cirrusHigh wispy ice formation
- humidityMoisture in atmosphere
stratosphere · troposphere · atmosphere · saturation · plume · aerosol · temperature · high-altitude · persistent · dissipating
fleeting
Passing very quickly
vanishing · dissipating · temporary · short-lived · evanescent · passing · impermanent · dissolving · dispersing · lingering
aircraft
Airborne transportation vehicle
- airlinerLarge commercial passenger plane
- jet engineThrust-producing aircraft powerplant
- exhaustUse up entirely
altitude · flightpath · airspace · afterburner · turbofan · wingtip · propulsion · aerospace · flyover · high-altitude
message
Transmitted communication
banner · display · exhibition · lettering · promotion · stunt · maneuver · spelling · announcement · spectacle
- vaporsteam, mist, fog, cloud, haze
- ephemeral shapescloud, bubble, smoke ring, ripple, wave
- tracestrace, mark, imprint, footprint, fingerprint
- atmospheric formationcloud, fog, mist, haze, smog
- atmosphereair, humidity, atmosphere, temperature, oxygen
- air showsairshow, air show, aerial displays, Thunderbirds, Red Arrows
trail, vapor, trailer, evaporate, trailing, trailed, evaporation, vaporous, trailblazer