Afternoon "comet," millpond

When I was a kid, a pretty strange kid, I might add, I was too bookish, unathletic, and shy to have many friends, so I spent most of my time involved in solitary pursuits. I was a budding naturalist pretty early, and I was also very into astronomy and spent hours watching and learning the night sky. One thing that excited me beyond the meteors and the constellations I observed was the prospect of seeing Halley's Comet, that splendid apparition which last arrived in 1910 and would return in 1986. Well, it was a dud when it came back, and I was sorely disappointed. I have, however, seen my share of good comets, and on today's walk, I spotted another one... a really good one. Of course, this isn't what it seems. A comet visible in the late afternoon would be spectacular beyond belief, the sighting of many lifetimes. "Beyond belief" is entirely apt here, for the naturalist's comet is actually just a jet contrail that is being set afire by the setting sun and by a gentle photo-filter boost in Photoshop. Think of it as a dream shot. I can dream, can't I?