but is there any merit in looking for contrails in satellite imagery or even (massive undertaking) ground based pictures?
In response to Tristan Gooley's post No. 3463, the Appleman Chart gives the answer although the vertical axis is in pressure rather than feet (I've marked 26,000 feet & -40ºC):
In rough terms, OAT needs to be -40ºC or colder for formation, and contrails will rarely be found below 26,000' (8km). So depending on the humidity, a contrail could have been formed that Sunday morning – although whether one could have been seen at night is open to question (but it was reportedly cloudless with a moon!), but then "which one"?
NASA's website is informative:
Contrail Education - Science