Dubuque photo with Chicago and Orion's Belt in the background [edited, not Des Moines]

[Clone83]

Edited 11-16: Still a great photo! I immediately downloaded it and use it as background on my Windows computer.

From the Des Moines Register (also in today's print version):
UPS cargo pilot snaps stunning photo of Chicago above Des Moines (desmoinesregister.com)

... Lepley was on a UPS cargo flight from Anchorage to Louisville, Kentucky, around 1:45 a.m. Saturday when clear skies offered an impressive sight — Chicago glowing like the sunrise to the east, with all three stars in the Orion's Belt constellation shining above. ...

Lepley keeps her eye out for impressive scenes in her travels for work, which she said has taken her to about 20 countries. She keeps her camera handy and posts her favorite photos at @kclepley on Twitter, where she has about 33,000 followers. ...

I think you can download the photo from the DMR site, but you can find the same or similar versions through an internet search on the article title:

Pilot snaps stunning photo from above Des Moines showing glow of Chicago, Orion's Belt

Note, the photo of Des Moines that is currently at the top of her Twitter feed is not the photo referred to above (which is from Saturday, November 6, not this last Saturday).

 

[Clone83]

From the Des Moines Register (also in today's print version):
UPS cargo pilot snaps stunning photo of Chicago above Des Moines (desmoinesregister.com)

I think you can download the photo from the DMR site, but you can find the same or similar versions through an internet search on the article title:

Pilot snaps stunning photo from above Des Moines showing glow of Chicago, Orion's Belt

Note, the photo of Des Moines that is currently at the top of her Twitter feed is not the photo referred to above (which is from Saturday, November 6, not this last Saturday).

Here is her Tweet with that photo -- from Saturday, November 6, 1:45AM:

 

[ISUTex]

How does she know that glow isn't from the Quad Cities? Or the World's Biggest Truck Stop?

 

[Drew0311]

How does she know that glow isn't from the Quad Cities? Or the World's Biggest Truck Stop?

I was thinking the same thing. I just don’t see how that is Chicago and not the quad cities

 

[madguy30]

I was thinking the same thing. I just don’t see how that is Chicago and not the quad cities

Or C.R. if it's directly east.

 

[Macloney]

I was thinking the same thing. I just don’t see how that is Chicago and not the quad cities

Because the glow of the Quad Cities is more of a turd brown color.

 

[Die4Cy]

Because the glow of the Quad Cities is more of a turd brown color.

OK I laughed

 

[ISUConE]

How does she know that glow isn't from the Quad Cities? Or the World's Biggest Truck Stop?

Or New York City?

 

[chiroclone88]

Because the glow of the Quad Cities is more of a turd brown color.

Can confirm

 

[cyphoon]

How does she know that glow isn't from the Quad Cities?

I thought she might be mistaken at first, but a horizon distance calculator produces 229 miles at 35,000 feet of altitude. DSM to CHI is around 300 miles.

H

 

[SolarGarlic]

How does she know that glow isn't from the Quad Cities? Or the World's Biggest Truck Stop?

I once got lost coming back to Iowa from Wisconsin. Pre internet, no map. The glow of the World's Biggest Truck stop led me home.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

One time I flew into Chicago just past sunset so the sun was reflecting off the planes circling, landing and taking off from O'Hare. It was like fireflies all over the airport.

 

[wxman1]

I thought she might be mistaken at first, but a horizon distance calculator produces 229 miles at 35,000 feet of altitude. DSM to CHI is around 300 miles.

H

she was at 33k when she took it.

 

[Farnsworth]

Wish someone would tag this with some landmarks to get a better understanding of dsm lights at night.

Like what are those two big lines in the bottom right quarter of the image

 

[clonedude]

So the Earth really is flat??

 

[Cyched]

So the Earth really is flat??

 

[clonedude]

View attachment 91958

Fake news.

 

[Clone83]

Wish someone would tag this with some landmarks to get a better understanding of dsm lights at night. Like what are those two big lines in the bottom right quarter of the image

Last call?

It is hard to tell the angle, where the jet was, and perspective, but I wonder if it isn't wide, well-lit, and well-developed parts of I-80 coming into the Des Moines (and/or next to)? Looking at a highway map, I-80 goes a bit northeast before it gets into Des Moines. The same question on the well-lit line on the right side in the middle of the photo (maybe I-70 going towards St. Louis?). What is that? It looks big.

It depends on residential areas outside Des Moines (or downtown) that don't have a lot of light. So it is hard to tell where the margin is there - which is basically your question.

Identify those two lines and you'd have a lot better idea on everything else.

I am not that familiar with DM anymore, especially recent development, but comparing it to MS map, it looks like you can see where I-235/35 turns north. Google Maps would probably work better.

 

[FerShizzle]

Wish someone would tag this with some landmarks to get a better understanding of dsm lights at night.

Like what are those two big lines in the bottom right quarter of the image

I’m very skeptical that is DSM.

For starters, most all roads run north/south and east/west in Des Moines proper. And the general grid in that photo doesn’t really seem to be pointing towards Chicago which is essentially due east.

I also would expect to see a corridor of lights that would be I-235 running through the middle of that.

 

[ISUTex]

I’m very skeptical that is DSM.

For starters, most all roads run north/south and east/west in Des Moines proper. And the general grid in that photo doesn’t really seem to be pointing towards Chicago which is essentially due east.

I also would expect to see a corridor of lights that would be I-235 running through the middle of that.

Agree the more I look at it.