# Incoming ICBM, what do you see? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 21, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incoming-icbm-what-do-you-see/600378 "2011-10-21T18:19:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![joema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@joema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joema)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incoming-icbm-what-do-you-see/600378/41 "2018-08-29T21:12:15Z")
> [@Atomic\_Alex](#): > > …what would you actually see in that scenario? Assume there’s no cloud cover. Would the reentry vehicle be large enough to see with the naked eye? Would it be leaving a trail across the sky having been heated coming down through the atmosphere? How fast would it appear to be moving?.. It would look something like this footage: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WagAKBuc\_o](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WagAKBuc_o) ---
**Author:** ![Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cabin_fever_1/32/2908_2.png) [@Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabin_Fever_1)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2018, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incoming-icbm-what-do-you-see/600378/42 "2018-08-29T21:48:06Z")
> [@Fish\_Cheer](#): > > [This](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Peacekeeper-missile-testing.jpg) one? One of the most haunting pictures I’ve ever seen. Wow. I am not sure I would want to be anywhere around that area. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2018, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incoming-icbm-what-do-you-see/600378/43 "2018-08-30T00:52:36Z")
I think [this video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDL_pIPScSI&t=310s) was linked to earlier but is now dead, but it’s a video from a Minuteman test and has several shots of the RVs on their way down. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incoming-icbm-what-do-you-see/600378.md?page=2)