From above, the exhaust trail looks like a thin, razor-sharp line stretching upward.
When a rocket punches through a thick, gray cloud deck, it often creates a dramatic contrast, appearing to shoot from dark, overcast conditions into a clear, bright blue or black sky, leaving behind a sharp, dark trail. Rocket Above The Clouds (Sky Overlay)
The sky becomes darker, and the air is much thinner, which significantly reduces drag and allows the rocket to accelerate rapidly. From above, the exhaust trail looks like a
Launches around sunrise or sunset can create "night-shining" clouds, where the exhaust plumes are illuminated by the sun, even when the ground is dark. Launches around sunrise or sunset can create "night-shining"
The phenomenon is particularly stunning in photography when captured with a low, solid cloud cover. If you'd like, I can: Help you find high-resolution images of this phenomenon.
This imagery is popular because of the surreal contrast between the quiet, orderly clouds and the chaotic energy of the launch.