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Patrick Hennessey
New Member
USA
33 Posts |
 Posted - 11/08/2005 : 03:46:10
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I'll start this one off with an experience, and let the reader decide: what do you call a white dot in the sky chugging along silently, then stopping dead in its tracks, going backwards, stopping again, and then continuing on in the original direction?
well heres what it aint:
it aint no plane
it aint no meteor
it aint no helicopter
it aint no satellite
that means two options: extraterrestrial, or high tech governmental craft.
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2005 : 04:00:58 [Permalink]
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Those are far from being the only two options. It actually sounds like an example of the autokinetic effect.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
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woolytoad
Skeptic Friend
313 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2005 : 04:02:05 [Permalink]
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You could make a blimp do what you describe.
Welcome! |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2005 : 05:51:18 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Patrick Hennessey
I'll start this one off with an experience, and let the reader decide: what do you call a white dot in the sky chugging along silently, then stopping dead in its tracks, going backwards, stopping again, and then continuing on in the original direction?
well heres what it aint:
it aint no plane
it aint no meteor
it aint no helicopter
it aint no satellite
that means two options: extraterrestrial, or high tech governmental craft.
Greetings Patrick, and welcome to SFN!
In the late 70's, I and my girlfriend of the time experienced something similar. Didn't know what it was then, and still don't. One explanation I got for it was the planet Venus as seen through an atmospheric anomoly that caused a series of refractions. As good a guess as any, I suppose, although most likely wrong...
I very strongly doubt that it had anything to do with Kang and Kronos on their way to abduct Homer.
What is your conjecture as what the light might have been (none of us have seen it, remember), and upon what grounds have you composed your "it ain't" list?
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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| Edited by - filthy on 11/08/2005 05:56:34 |
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furshur
SFN Regular
USA
1536 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2005 : 06:32:50 [Permalink]
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How about an airplane with the landing lights on far enough from you that you don't hear the engines and it is flying more or less straight at you and making a slow 'S' turn. I have seen just this phenomina. Now the plane must be somewhere near the horizon for this to be feasible.
I would need alot more evidence to jump to the alien answer. |
If I knew then what I know now then I would know more now than I know. |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2005 : 07:06:48 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Ricky
Weather balloon?
Yes, tossed about by upper atmospheric winds. That'll work, but only if it took place at such a time of day that the balloon was reflecting the light of the sun. Patrick hasn't given us that detail.
I've been asuming, perhaps incorrectly, that it took place at night. If it were in the evening or early morning, when it is dark here on the ground, the dot might be quite spectacular.
We need bbbb in on this one. It might have been NASA buffoons faking another mooner.... 
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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Valiant Dancer
Forum Goalie
USA
4826 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2005 : 07:20:42 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Patrick Hennessey
I'll start this one off with an experience, and let the reader decide: what do you call a white dot in the sky chugging along silently, then stopping dead in its tracks, going backwards, stopping again, and then continuing on in the original direction?
well heres what it aint:
it aint no plane
it aint no meteor
it aint no helicopter
it aint no satellite
that means two options: extraterrestrial, or high tech governmental craft.
Here's some questions.
1) Over how long of a period of time?
2) Is it in proximity to any aurora borealis?
If one evening, there could be any number of atmospheric anomolies which may cause such things. Proximity to arora borealis could be a small blob of aurora. It could also be a bit of space junk as the earth overtook it in orbit. |
Cthulhu/Asmodeus when you're tired of voting for the lesser of two evils
Brother Cutlass of Reasoned Discussion |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2005 : 07:45:00 [Permalink]
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| A helicopter at distance with a spotlight could make that image by circling and resuming course. Although the S-turn plane is more likely to produce a seemingly constant brightness. |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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Subjectmatter
Skeptic Friend
173 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2005 : 08:02:42 [Permalink]
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Apologies for suggesting the possibility, but it should be addressed...
Were you drunk or under the influence of a drug of some description? |
Sibling Atom Bomb of Couteous Debate |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2005 : 08:07:42 [Permalink]
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Were you recently kicked in the head by a horse perhaps? JK but it seems there are more than just two possibilities.
God could have made you see lights
The Matrix was experiencing technical difficulties.
[Edit: your]You're still dreaming
Of course these dont have as much evidence to support them as the extraterrestrial explination, oh wait yes they do, none. |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
| Edited by - BigPapaSmurf on 11/08/2005 11:01:40 |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9687 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2005 : 08:47:23 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Patrick Hennessey
I'll start this one off with an experience, and let the reader decide: what do you call a white dot in the sky chugging along silently, then stopping dead in its tracks, going backwards, stopping again, and then continuing on in the original direction?
well heres what it aint:
it aint no plane
it aint no meteor
it aint no helicopter
it aint no satellite
that means two options: extraterrestrial, or high tech governmental craft.
Not enough inforamtion to make a suggestion...
What was the aparent distance to the object?
What time of the day was it? What day was it?
That was the bearing of the object realtive to you?
That was the original direction of travel, relative to the map?
How did you rule out the four options above?
Did you receive or record any information beside your own senses?
Until a few more questions are answered, I'll consider this a UFO.
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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Siberia
SFN Addict
Brazil
2322 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2005 : 09:04:02 [Permalink]
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Firefly?
Thai wedding lamps? |
"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa
"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2005 : 09:33:42 [Permalink]
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| Or-- get this-- how about a UFO?!? I mean, if there's ever proof of advanced alien beings visiting earth, is this not it?!? [/sarcasm] |
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CourseKnot
Skeptic Friend
USA
82 Posts |
Posted - 11/08/2005 : 10:15:06 [Permalink]
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| Swamp gas.... yeah... that's it. Swamp gas. |
Just flying through space with the rest of you... |
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