Sunrise/Sunset at Supersonic Speeds?
I've never heard of a pilot talking about this...but I wonder if it happens.
At the equator on the Summer/Winter Solstice, the earth is spinning at 1,083 miles per hour. It decreases as you approach the poles, until you get to the exact pole, where there is no velocity.
So if you're at the arctic circle, the earth is spinning at about 457 mph.
As you increase in altitude, you have to fly farther to get to the same place under you on the Earth. So if the Earth is spinning 457 miles per hour, and you are at FL35, you will need to be traveling 459 to stay directly over the same spot.(not considering air/wind which is spinning with the Earth)
Anyways, what I am getting at, if you were flying at twice 457, heading East, the sun should RISE above the horizon, and if you are going West, the sun should set.
But you never hear a pilot talk about this...you'd think SR-71 pilots would be really excited to share something like that.
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