Skip to main content

An Unanswered Question

Image
By
We spent a recent evening in our backyard enjoying a bonfire and doing some star gazing.  From time to time, we would see a plane fly overhead and wonder about it.  Where was it coming from and going to?  Just for fun, we would imagine all sorts of destinations.

But then we started to ponder the science of it.  We saw at least a half dozen planes that night and they were all little more than dots in the sky, so we had to assume they were flying at cruising altitude, approximately 30,000 feet.  The closest major airport is about 60 miles away.  Would a plane have climed that high in that distance or were the planes we were seeing coming from a more distant airport?  This led to the biggest question of the evening.  How far away, in land miles, could a plane be seen? 

Let me clarify.  Let's imagine there was a super bright light that shined from the bottom of the plane, back to the ground.  We can agree that the light would mark a specific location and we could say that the plane was directly over that location, correct?  So the question is, how far from that location would you be able to see the plane in the sky?  One hundred miles, five hundred miles, one thousand miles?  From my home in Michigan, could I see a plane flying over Ohio?  I'm sure there is a scientific formula to figure this out, but I haven't researched it, yet.

So, friends, what do you think?  How far away, in land miles, could a plane (flying at 30,000 feet) be seen from your backyard?  The only prize awarded will be bragging rights, but think how smart you'll feel if you guess correctly* (assuming I can find the answer and determine a winner).


Willoughby


*If you should happen to know the answer already, or have the inclination to research it, please email it to me at thisstopwilloughby@yahoo.com instead of leaving it in the comments.  We don't want to spoil the fun of guessing for everyone else!

**There is still time to enter my Running T-Shirt Giveaway!  Click here for more info.

Comments

Unknown said…
I won't hazard a guess. But your post did remind me of sitting out in the back yard of my sister's country home. It was a clear, moonless night. The stars were bright. If we looked very carefully we could see tiny dots of light moving across the sky. Much to far to be a plane. We surmised what we were seeing were space satellites.
August 23, 2011 at 9:32 AM
Jenny said…
Gosh, I have no clue. We were talking about just that, though, last fall when the kids built up the bonfire in the firepit to epic proportions. It sounds like a fun time, though.
August 23, 2011 at 3:05 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It's Wednesday, Welcome Back To The Cocktail Party!

By
Welcome to Willoughby's Blog Style Cocktail Party. I hope you will find some new blogs to follow and expand your circle of blog friends. I know you're all anxious to mingle, so I'll get right to it. I'd like to introduce Deidra from Jumping Tandem .  I know you'll enjoy her blog as much as I do. Keeping It Real.... Deidra I'm an East Coast girl living in the midwest because I love my husband (I call him "H" around here) and his work brought us here. We have been blessed with two amazing children (currently in college) and an empty nest that I absolutely love! Don't get me wrong, I love my kids but they're destined to change the world and they can't do that living under my roof (although they're welcome back anytime for love, prayers, support, encouragement, and of course homecooked meals and clean laundry). Did I mention that H is a pastor? So that makes me the pastor's wife - but don't let that blur your vision. H is...
21 comments
Read more

Bugging Out

By
Spring is such a wonderful time of year.  The birds have returned and greet each morning with their lovely songs.  The tree branches are covered with green buds ready to burst into life.  The grass has shed it's yellow/brown pallor in favor of a lovely emerald.  The air is warm and breezy.  It's all so lovely except for one thing.  The bugs. Because of our nearly uninhabitable climate during the winter months, we don't see many bugs from late October through early April.  I almost forget how much I hate them until they come back.  And they know I hate them so they taunt me.  Ever since the thermometer hit the 60 degree mark, we've had flies congregating around the back porch.  I can't sit out there and enjoy my morning coffee without having them buzz past me. Now, flies I hate, but spiders I absolutely loathe.  Friday morning I walked into the bathroom to dry my hair and spotted what I thought was a bumble ...
26 comments
Read more

How Small Town Is Small Town?

By
I grew up in the suburbs.  From the house I lived in, you never had to travel more than a mile to get to  shopping malls, restaurants, drug stores or gas stations.  We had multiple movie theaters, bowling alleys, golf courses and a water park. After Mr. Willoughby and I got married, we lived in an apartment in that same suburb for a few years. From there we moved to another suburban area, and then the city.  It was while we were living in the city that we started spending our weekends on country drives and shopping at flea markets and farm stands.   We found ourselves charmed by the small towns with their farmhouses and quaint shops. When it was time to get out of our house in the city, we decided that we wanted to live in the country. It was an adjustment at first.  The closest place to shop (other than Kmart or the supermarket) is 20 miles away.  We have no movie theaters and only a...
30 comments
Read more