Visualization of a comparison simulation result of a sphere embedded in air flow (γ = 1.4) at a Mach number ℳ = 1.53. The homogeneous gas arrives from the top and flows in the negative z-direction. Shown is the density distribution for the final equilibrium state in the central part of the computational domain around the sphere. Upper panel: numerical results, black lines denote iso-density contours. Bottom panel: laboratory data from van Dyke (1982, Fig. 266).