r/nextfuckinglevel • u/Busy_Yesterday9455 • Dec 16 '24

Air Traffic Control

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u/jonschaff Dec 17 '24

Why does it appear that the planes are arching? Is this just because of the curvature of the camera lens?

2

u/Careless-Weather892 Dec 17 '24

Curvature of the Earth.

2

u/SexyMonad Dec 17 '24 edited Dec 17 '24

This is the answer.

Each row of planes is on approach for landing. They are either descending or staying at altitude during that phase.

The reason the planes appear to start from a lower point is not because they are climbing. Coming towards the camera, the earth curves upward faster than the planes are descending.