28/12/2025
Back in 2024 I had the opportunity to capture the most amazing rainbow contrails I have probably ever seen.
This video is a series of 15 sequences totalling 796 individual images captured at 30 frames per second to show the development and formation of the rainbow.
While the aircraft mostly had a solid trail of condensation behind it as it crossed Brisbane, there were breaks in the contrail when the aircraft crossed directly overhead near The Gap and reforming a solid contrail as it headed out towards Wivenhoe Dam, where it then showed a intense rainbow.
The full carpet of condensation behind the aircraft, with the Sun refracting light off the ice crystals showed the rainbow effect.
The camera and lens were hand held, hence some of the jerky motion present in a few sequences.
Singapore Airlines Airbus A380-841 Reg. 9V-SKU in transit over Brisbane, Australia.
Flight SQ286 Auckland, New Zealand to Singapore.
Height 36,000 ft Ground Speed 830 km/h, Track 300ยฐ
Image Date 28 March 2024
Canon EOS R3, Canon EF 600mm f/4.0 L IS III USM
Lens + 2.0x III
Singapore Airlines