This image is stunning. And not just because, well, it’s all explodey and stuff:

[Click to explodenate.]

The three panels show a 1986 test of a Tomahawk cruise missile. The missile traveled 640 km (400 mile) low over the terrain to detonate above the target, a decommissioned fighter plane. It’s pretty clear the test was a success.

But what caught my eye immediately was the middle panel. Let me zoom it for you:

[Click to hugely embiggen!]

[Note: added noon PDT Friday: There's a lot of discussion in the comments below on both the veracity of this test and my interpretation. I've been on travel the past couple of days, finishing up some Bad Universe stuff, so I haven't been able to look into this. So I admit I might be wrong, but won't know one way or another until I can sit and look into this. Stay Tuned.]

Now look carefully there. When the missile exploded, the expanding debris cloud from the vaporized weapon was probably moving faster than the speed of sound. Even so, in this second picture you can see none of it had touched the plane yet when the shot was snapped.

Yet look at the plane: it’s on fire. How can that be?
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