Smoke In The Sky?

Question

On some nights I white somke from planes. I know it is called a contrail. But i want to know what planes cause it. I see normal planes but they dont have it. I just want to know if they are fighter jets and why do i only see them at nights. I know they cant be normal planes because they are WAY to high. So what are they?

Answer 1

thats the moisture in the air being sucked in by the turbines of the planes which turn them into steam ( those turbines get extremly hot) , thats the "smoke"u see, they eventually go away

Answer 2

the way a contrail is formed is the cold air aloft and and the hot exhaust from the jet engines It could be a fighter but more than likely its a civilian airliner

Answer 3

It is not smoke, it is ice that make up contrails. Jet fuel when it is burned is turned into water and carbon dioxide, and some other things.  The water freezes due to the temperature at high altitudes. If the atmosphere is saturated with water vapor, the contrail will persist much longer than if the atmosphere is dry, in which case the contrail will either not form or will evaporate immediately.

The aircraft you are seeing making the contrails are normal jets. Any aircraft can make a contrail, including piston-engined aircraft.

I don't know where you are, so I cannot comment on why you only see them at night. It does not make much difference as to whether it is day or night, only temperature makes the difference.

Regards,

Dan