A Bow Shock (IMAGE)

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

A Bow Shock

Caption

A cloud forms as this F/A-18 Hornet aircraft speeds up to supersonic speed. Aircraft flying this fast push air up to the very limits of its speed, forming what's called a bow shock in front of them. Similar bow shocks are also found in a variety of forms in space, and new research suggests they may contribute to heating of the material around them.

Credit

Credit: Ensign John Gay, USS Constellation, U.S. Navy

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