I've seen quite a few of these pictures. It's the sunset reflecting on a contrail. Makes for a really pretty look.

I don't know but I've never seen such a vivid sun set effect on a trail.

Makes me think that it isn't as simple as the sunset IMO.

Peace

Looks to be more than just the sunset giving it that appearance, but I'm no expert.
It looks like something crsshing go Earth.
Pollution can cause the pinks or reds, but usually after the trail has been left lingering.

If it is an effect of the sunset, I wonder why there are black shadows all the way around it. You would think that there wouldn't be any dark shadows underneath it.

Originally posted by UnaChispa
My second and most rational thought was that it is just the sunset giving it that look.

What do you guys think?

I think it is just the sunset giving it that look.

Very nice to look at, must have been quite the sunset. But it is most definitely a contrail. I have also seen contrails with massive black shadows underneath. The sun does the coolest things to the sky at dusk.

Just a short reply to illustrate two things raised in the discussion. Dark shadows are commonplace at sunset as the light is only striking one side of the cloud/trail and the resulting contrast is quite stark, this is one of the attractions of sunsets, also the sun can create some spectacualr effects on camera as it is going down. Two images below illustrate the point and I can assure everyone, re the second pic, that South Yorkshire has not been napalmed





So the setting sun can indeed make a contrail look like that, it might be something I need to try to capture myself, given the right conditions.

Possible Meteor, trail is very round like
and a big puff at the end.

For the one with no youtube