STRANGE STREAK DISCUSSION

[DEK]

The "shadow of a contrail" theory is a good one.
Here is mine: Somebody fired a flare using a flare-gun.
This would explain tho wispy streak, the flash of light, and
what appears to be smoke near the surface.
The photographer may have not seen or captured the image of the shooter. DEK Renton, Wa. USA

[Guest]

So where is it 15 sec. later, in the next shot?

[Sombrero4594]

I would comment upon the insect “consensus” about the streak. As a lifelong student of entomology and the natural sciences, I would offer two problems, both fatal, with the insect idea.

1) As others have pointed out, the shutter speed rules out any insect leaving a trail that long (or any other creature from Earth) on a picture taken at that speed.

2)The trail is perfectly (within the limits of my digital copy) straight. No creature on Earth can do that, not even a peregrine falcon in full stoop at 198mph.

[smu]

As a lifelong student of entomology and the natural sciences, I would offer two problems, both fatal, with the insect idea.
...
2)The trail is perfectly (within the limits of my digital copy) straight. No creature on Earth can do that, not even a peregrine falcon in full stoop at 198mph.

in the amount of time it takes the shutter to close (1/20 s) a falcon flying at 198 mph is only going to move 14.5'. an insect would move even less.
now let's keep that in mind...

1) As others have pointed out, the shutter speed rules out any insect leaving a trail that long (or any other creature from Earth) on a picture taken at that speed.

as a lifelong student of science, how long does that streak look to you? it can certainly be less than 14.5'. depends on the direction of flight either towards or away from the viewer. also depends on the distance from subject to viewer. many unknowns here for you to say it's too long or too straight outright.