Joined: Dec 26, 2003
Posts: 5586
Location: Texas panhandle
Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 5:55 am
Here's one to keep an eye on. Bigelow Aerospace's experimental inflatable orbiter has captured an anomalous light source on it's cameras. This one could get interesting, since NASA is not in the mix with their standard dismissal stories ready to slap one in place.
They aren't making any claims so far one way or the other as to what the phenomenon is, but have it open for analysis and discussion at this point.
EDIT> mispelled the thread title LOL (twice no less!)
_________________ "Logic and reason are as limited as faith. All three collapse under their own rules of exclusivity in the end, they simply do so at different rates."
Thanks very much Tiger, What size you estimate that orb light to be, or is it impossible to hazard a guess?
Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:54 am
WhiteTiger Site Admin/Moderator
Joined: Dec 26, 2003
Posts: 5586
Location: Texas panhandle
Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 9:11 am
It's be impossible to set any sort of size figure as far as I can see since it neither passes before nor behind anything of a known size at a known distance from the camera (except as expressed in subtended angle, which would vary wildly in actual physical size depending on distance).
About the only thing that can be accurately said is that whatever it is, it is not a point source of light, which means that it is close and large enough to actually have dimension to it... but saying that isn't saying much as it could be a tiny thing very close or a middlin' size thing in the near distance or something large at extreme distance and give the same images under any of those conditions.
Tiger
_________________ "Logic and reason are as limited as faith. All three collapse under their own rules of exclusivity in the end, they simply do so at different rates."
Sun Mar 16, 2008 9:11 am
THoTH Da Boss
Joined: Dec 21, 2003
Posts: 8734
Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 9:33 am
First impression was lens flare. But circles of flare tend to be fuzzy this seems more solid than that. In addition it doesn't appear to move relative to the corona of the outer flare
_________________ It is easier for mankind to destroy the light within, rather than the darkness around. Always face the light, that way the shadows will always be behind you.
Sun Mar 16, 2008 9:33 am
WhiteTiger Site Admin/Moderator
Joined: Dec 26, 2003
Posts: 5586
Location: Texas panhandle
Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:10 am
Whatever it is, it holds the exact same size and symmetrical three lobed shape with the same orientation in all the stills in the composite gif.
That alone pretty much rules out lens flare since the shadows on the orbiter move considerably, indicating that the major source of illumination is changing angle of incidence. Lens flare will alter appearance (especially apparent size) according to angle of incidence.
Edge effect flare (caused by internal reflection from the edge of the lens) will alter shape and/or orientation as angle of incidence changes.
Pretty much all of the possible hardware artefacts seem to be ruled out by the nature and movement of the whatsit.
Tiger
_________________ "Logic and reason are as limited as faith. All three collapse under their own rules of exclusivity in the end, they simply do so at different rates."
Sun Mar 16, 2008 10:10 am
Kira First Lady of Book-of-THoTH
Joined: Dec 21, 2003
Posts: 13474
Location: Suburb of area 51
Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 1:06 pm
It seems like the object is on the outter part of the planet, then appears in front of it, is that an optical illusion?
Who knows what it is? Nice of them to show it. Hopefully they'll get alot more. Keep NASA honest. Or make them look like fools for not admitting other things are up there as well.
Thanks Tiger.
_________________ "Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens" - Jimi Hendrix
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