The growth of air traffic over the past decades has been dramatic. And jet aircraft are flying at higher altitudes, which have higher relative humidity, which will cause contrails to persist. But ask your local air traffic control center if there is any reason for what you are seeing. As for seeing stars, that has become more difficult generally on account of increased illumination of cities as they become larger and roads and neighborhoods are extended. (When I moved to my present location in 1978, the local population was 17,000. Today it is 101,000. Lots of cityshine if there are any clouds at all.)
They ARE particulates: ice crystals. They always have been. And if the air is at saturated humidity, they will not evaporate. I'm so glad you agree.
hmmm, then what changed? Because this never happened when I was a kid. Now you can barely see the stars at night.
And they don't match the flight of commercial aircraft.
The growth of air traffic over the past decades has been dramatic. And jet aircraft are flying at higher altitudes, which have higher relative humidity, which will cause contrails to persist. But ask your local air traffic control center if there is any reason for what you are seeing. As for seeing stars, that has become more difficult generally on account of increased illumination of cities as they become larger and roads and neighborhoods are extended. (When I moved to my present location in 1978, the local population was 17,000. Today it is 101,000. Lots of cityshine if there are any clouds at all.)