Have you ever noticed in your daily life that the light gets its color from the environment it passes through? Or have you observed how the shadow size changes as you move closer and further away from the light source? When we think about these, we realize that science underlies most of the things we see, observe and interact with almost every day around us.
Another phenomenon like these that attracts people’s attention is that planes do not cast shadows when they are very high. The same is true for birds. So what is the reason?
Scientifically, the main reason for this is; shadow formation depends on the source of the light and the position of the shadow on the earth.
For example, during the sunrise and sunset, the shadow size can be seen longer, while the shadow size can be seen shorter at noon because the Sun comes at a right angle.
Coming to the question of why we cannot see the shadows of birds and planes, it is all about the position of the shadow on the earth. When a shadow is cast, the shadow falls on the earth in relation to the position of the object.
That is, there is a distance between the object and the earth, and this distance has a significant effect on the size and clarity of the shadow. However, because birds and planes fly through the air, the shadow does not fall directly on the earth. Instead, the shadow is formed by the angle between the plane or bird and the Sun and never reaches where it is supposed to fall. Therefore, the shadows of birds and planes cannot be seen as clearly as the shadows of objects on the ground.
In some cases, shadows of airplanes can be seen momentarily near the airport when the Sun’s rays are at the right angle and at a low enough altitude.
This usually occurs when the Sun’s rays fall at an almost horizontal angle to the ground and the planes’ positions allow shadows to appear.
For example, when an aircraft is landing or taking off at an airport, the shadow of the aircraft may be briefly visible on or around the airport runway when the Sun’s rays come from behind the aircraft and fall at a near-ground angle. Likewise, shadows of airplanes can appear momentarily on the walls or floors of tall buildings or other tall structures. But this is purely momentary.
As a result, considering the factors affecting the formation of the shadow, it can be said that the position of the shadow on the earth is the main reason why the shadows of birds and planes are not visible.
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