Comments on: BalloonFOs http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Sun, 05 Jul 2009 07:51:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: MandyDax http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63499 MandyDax Wed, 16 Jan 2008 04:40:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63499 How about this? Geese + Duct tape + Battery-powered LED arrays (or ducks and duck tape and lights...) How about this?

Geese + Duct tape + Battery-powered LED arrays

(or ducks and duck tape and lights…)

]]> By: Wayne http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63498 Wayne Tue, 15 Jan 2008 20:04:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63498 Troy, You're from Stephenville?? Who'd have thought there'd be two of us on this page. My parents were just showing me the ET article (no pun intended) last weekend and I was going to post about it here. I must agree, the eye witnesses for the most part don't inspire confidence, and serve mostly just to reinforce most people's perception of folks from rural areas. It would have been nice to have some comments from an astronomy professor from the local Tarleton State University or something. Troy,
You’re from Stephenville?? Who’d have thought there’d be two of us on this page. My parents were just showing me the ET article (no pun intended) last weekend and I was going to post about it here.

I must agree, the eye witnesses for the most part don’t inspire confidence, and serve mostly just to reinforce most people’s perception of folks from rural areas. It would have been nice to have some comments from an astronomy professor from the local Tarleton State University or something.

]]> By: Tracy http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63497 Tracy Tue, 15 Jan 2008 18:57:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63497 When I was a kid, my family would make the candle balloons and launch them. We nearly laughed our butts off when the local radio station would get calls about UFOs. Maybe this is a hobby I'll take up again. When I was a kid, my family would make the candle balloons and launch them. We nearly laughed our butts off when the local radio station would get calls about UFOs. Maybe this is a hobby I’ll take up again.

]]> By: Gareth (bujin) http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63496 Gareth (bujin) Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:34:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63496 Re: Paul's comment Yeah, we didn't just have one sighting. We had loads! There was one in my home town (Wrexham) as well as one in Stratford-upon-Avon on the same day, and a few other places too. All around the same time as your Watford one (end of July). Naturally, the media went bonkers over it. Must have been a really slow news day! Re: Paul’s comment

Yeah, we didn’t just have one sighting. We had loads! There was one in my home town (Wrexham) as well as one in Stratford-upon-Avon on the same day, and a few other places too. All around the same time as your Watford one (end of July).

Naturally, the media went bonkers over it. Must have been a really slow news day!

]]> By: Troy Curtis http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63495 Troy Curtis Tue, 15 Jan 2008 12:57:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63495 Oh yeah, well there are REAL UFOs in my hometown: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080114/ap_on_fe_st/odd_ufo_sightings You know they are real because the Mutual UFO Network is holding a meeting there on the 19th to fill out "sighting forms". You can read more at the local paper's website (requires registration): http://www.empiretribune.com Best part? One guy estimates that the 1-1.5 mile wide aircraft was about 3500 ft in the air and he says "I estimate it was traveling about 3000 mph!" Good eye man! Let's see a weather balloon do that! I'm so proud! I sincerely hope you see the sarcasm in my post Oh yeah, well there are REAL UFOs in my hometown:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080114/ap_on_fe_st/odd_ufo_sightings

You know they are real because the Mutual UFO Network is holding a meeting there on the 19th to fill out “sighting forms”. You can read more at the local paper’s website (requires registration):

http://www.empiretribune.com

Best part? One guy estimates that the 1-1.5 mile wide aircraft was about 3500 ft in the air and he says “I estimate it was traveling about 3000 mph!” Good eye man! Let’s see a weather balloon do that!

I’m so proud!

I sincerely hope you see the sarcasm in my post

]]> By: Jeffersonian http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63494 Jeffersonian Tue, 15 Jan 2008 09:35:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63494 Hey, if it's -an object -it's flying -you haven't identified it, Then it's a freaking UFO! Aliens shmaliens. (another neologism) Hey, if it’s
-an object
-it’s flying
-you haven’t identified it,

Then it’s a freaking UFO!

Aliens shmaliens.
(another neologism)

]]> By: Quiet Desperation http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63493 Quiet Desperation Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:58:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63493 --- <i>made out of shopping bags and candles</i> Great! That's exactly what drought stricken areas with plant life drier than ancient bones needs! Wheeeee! — made out of shopping bags and candles

Great! That’s exactly what drought stricken areas with plant life drier than ancient bones needs! Wheeeee!

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