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. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:51:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: MandyDax http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#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-page-1/#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-page-1/#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-page-1/#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-page-1/#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-page-1/#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-page-1/#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!

]]> By: bassmanpete http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63492 bassmanpete Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:54:57 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63492 When I was at school in the late '50s in Cheshire, UK, there was a silvery object seen floating overhead, apparently stationary, for a couple of days. It turned out to be a large weather balloon at a height of 100,000 feet. We school kids were pretty impressed at how big it must have been to be visible at that distance. When I was at school in the late ’50s in Cheshire, UK, there was a silvery object seen floating overhead, apparently stationary, for a couple of days. It turned out to be a large weather balloon at a height of 100,000 feet. We school kids were pretty impressed at how big it must have been to be visible at that distance.

]]> By: Michael Lonergan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63491 Michael Lonergan Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:17:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63491 Actually, Mike J, I have seen these candle balloons, (read my previous post), and they are quite visible, and can float quite high if enough candles are used. I saw one catch fire and fall to the ground one night. Actually, Mike J, I have seen these candle balloons, (read my previous post), and they are quite visible, and can float quite high if enough candles are used. I saw one catch fire and fall to the ground one night.

]]> By: Lonjho http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63490 Lonjho Tue, 15 Jan 2008 04:36:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63490 Sorry Phil, but the "word" was already in spanish: "globovni", as you can read here, in Luis Ruiz Noguez' blog: "Para ser honesto no puedo decir que no haya nada nuevo. Es cierto que siguen presentando sus videos de globovnis (globos y pájaros volando a gran altitud), a los que llaman “flotillas de ovnis”." http://marcianitosverdes.haaan.com/2007/05/el-sustento-terico-de-maussan/ A convergent neologism, I suppose. Sorry Phil, but the “word” was already in spanish: “globovni”, as you can read here, in Luis Ruiz Noguez’ blog:

“Para ser honesto no puedo decir que no haya nada nuevo. Es cierto que siguen presentando sus videos de globovnis (globos y pájaros volando a gran altitud), a los que llaman “flotillas de ovnis”.”

http://marcianitosverdes.haaan.com/2007/05/el-sustento-terico-de-maussan/

A convergent neologism, I suppose.

]]> By: sean hogge http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63489 sean hogge Tue, 15 Jan 2008 03:26:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63489 Before solar eclipses were explained, there was NO other reasonable explanation other than angry deities, or demons stealing the sun. Before Aristotle and Eratosthenes, there was NO way Earth was anything but flat. Before Copernicus, there was NO way we weren't the center of everything. In fact, Copernicus helped to illustrate that the extraordinary (not just by definition) is uncommon. Meaning that in any given situation, an ordinary explanation is overwhelmingly more likely. A curious (and intentional?) application of Occam's razor to perceived celestial motion, and thusly existence. This furor smacks of so much early solar eclipse sacrificial rites. It's beyond superficial, it's eclipsificial. Obviously, those lights are dragon burps because global warming has contaminated the part of the atmosphere that protects them from indigestion. To the henges to make amends! Before solar eclipses were explained, there was NO other reasonable explanation other than angry deities, or demons stealing the sun.

Before Aristotle and Eratosthenes, there was NO way Earth was anything but flat.

Before Copernicus, there was NO way we weren’t the center of everything.

In fact, Copernicus helped to illustrate that the extraordinary (not just by definition) is uncommon. Meaning that in any given situation, an ordinary explanation is overwhelmingly more likely. A curious (and intentional?) application of Occam’s razor to perceived celestial motion, and thusly existence.

This furor smacks of so much early solar eclipse sacrificial rites. It’s beyond superficial, it’s eclipsificial. Obviously, those lights are dragon burps because global warming has contaminated the part of the atmosphere that protects them from indigestion. To the henges to make amends!

]]> By: Mike J. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63488 Mike J. Tue, 15 Jan 2008 02:53:14 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63488 Phil said : "This is pretty interesting footage, but they look like candle balloons to me, an easy-to-make do-it-yourself hot air balloon made out of shopping bags and candles" --------------------- ROTFLMAO .. har-dee-har-har! ;^) Candle balloons?! Those "balloons" would have to be about 50 feet across, or have SUPER powered ultra lumen candles in them. Look at the distance and proportion to the house and trees below... Maybe we should do some science phil... take a candle outside, surround it with plastic bags, and walk about 1000 feet away... then take a crappy digital cam-corder and see how well it shows up, and see how small a bag-ballon appears.. Phil said :

“This is pretty interesting footage, but they look like candle balloons to me, an easy-to-make do-it-yourself hot air balloon made out of shopping bags and candles”

———————

ROTFLMAO .. har-dee-har-har! ;^)

Candle balloons?!

Those “balloons” would have to be about 50 feet across, or have SUPER powered ultra lumen candles in them. Look at the distance and proportion to the house and trees below…

Maybe we should do some science phil… take a candle outside, surround it with plastic bags, and walk about 1000 feet away… then take a crappy digital cam-corder and see how well it shows up, and see how small a bag-ballon appears..

]]> By: Michael Lonergan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63487 Michael Lonergan Tue, 15 Jan 2008 02:20:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63487 I do not understand why you fail to accept that we are being visited or observed by aliens from Zeta Reticuli? It's been proven. Back in the early 1980's, we had a UFO flap here in Squamish, near Vancouver. Numerous people reported orange glowing lights flying silently in front of "The Chief", a 2,000 foot granite cliff. People were convinced aliens were visiting our little town, and, had set up a base behind The Chief. That was until one of these UFO's came crashing down in flames, hitting a car and causing hundreds of dollars in damage. It turns out these UFO's were orange garbage bags attached to wooden cross beams. The UFO propulsion system? Candles. I do not understand why you fail to accept that we are being visited or observed by aliens from Zeta Reticuli? It’s been proven.

Back in the early 1980′s, we had a UFO flap here in Squamish, near Vancouver. Numerous people reported orange glowing lights flying silently in front of “The Chief”, a 2,000 foot granite cliff. People were convinced aliens were visiting our little town, and, had set up a base behind The Chief. That was until one of these UFO’s came crashing down in flames, hitting a car and causing hundreds of dollars in damage. It turns out these UFO’s were orange garbage bags attached to wooden cross beams. The UFO propulsion system? Candles.

]]> By: Stripe http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63486 Stripe Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:35:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63486 Any danger of causing fires when these things hit the ground eventually? Any danger of causing fires when these things hit the ground eventually?

]]> By: Lugosi http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63485 Lugosi Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:17:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63485 Cylons. Cylons.

]]> By: Neil http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63484 Neil Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:11:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63484 The objects do look like homemade hot air balloons. I have a friend who used to live here near the beach, and he would make huge ones that looked like floating flames from a distance. His construction plan wasn't too eco-friendly, but they did make an impressive spectacle. I believe his version was made from a clear or white 20-30 gallon trash bag, a coat hangar, and a bundle of tampons soaked in kerosine. If you let them go from the beach at night, the wind usually brings them inland and they would get to a fair height before anyone else could see them. Good times. In this clip, it's hard for me to tell if the ballons themselves are giving off light, or if they are just high up enough to catch the light from the sunset while the people below are already in the shadows. The objects do look like homemade hot air balloons. I have a friend who used to live here near the beach, and he would make huge ones that looked like floating flames from a distance. His construction plan wasn’t too eco-friendly, but they did make an impressive spectacle. I believe his version was made from a clear or white 20-30 gallon trash bag, a coat hangar, and a bundle of tampons soaked in kerosine. If you let them go from the beach at night, the wind usually brings them inland and they would get to a fair height before anyone else could see them. Good times.
In this clip, it’s hard for me to tell if the ballons themselves are giving off light, or if they are just high up enough to catch the light from the sunset while the people below are already in the shadows.

]]> By: eddie http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63483 eddie Tue, 15 Jan 2008 01:02:13 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63483 I ALMOST sent you an email about this, until I read the comment about the do-it-yourself hot-air balloon theory. That's exactly what it appears to be, although I have to admit, my curiosity was really piqued and I spent a great deal of time studying the video, totally stumped (always considering it may have been some sort of intentionally crude FX deal.) I ALMOST sent you an email about this, until I read the comment about the do-it-yourself hot-air balloon theory. That’s exactly what it appears to be, although I have to admit, my curiosity was really piqued and I spent a great deal of time studying the video, totally stumped (always considering it may have been some sort of intentionally crude FX deal.)

]]> By: 01101001 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63482 01101001 Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:58:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63482 Nowadays kids and pranksters don't have to build their own candle ballons; they can just buy them off the web: www.skylanterns.com/index.php . Get the 80-piece wedding package, and hoax a mass invasion! Nowadays kids and pranksters don’t have to build their own candle ballons; they can just buy them off the web: http://www.skylanterns.com/index.php .

Get the 80-piece wedding package, and hoax a mass invasion!

]]> By: Paul http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63481 Paul Tue, 15 Jan 2008 00:24:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63481 We had a similar sighting in Britain last year - they turned out to be Chinese lanterns. http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1582237.mostviewed.ufo_mystery_solved.php We had a similar sighting in Britain last year – they turned out to be Chinese lanterns.

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1582237.mostviewed.ufo_mystery_solved.php

]]> By: John http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63480 John Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:45:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63480 New blog entry tag? New blog entry tag?

]]> By: Astroprof http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63479 Astroprof Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:39:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63479 I once was hosting a public star party one night, and these people showed up as we were setting up wanting to know if saw "that UFO over there!" I told him that it looked like a weather balloon to me. He insisted that he used to work for NOAA and that for sure that was NOT a balloon. So, I pointed a telescope at it, and ... . It was a beautiful picture of a balloon with the instrument package hanging below it. I once was hosting a public star party one night, and these people showed up as we were setting up wanting to know if saw “that UFO over there!” I told him that it looked like a weather balloon to me. He insisted that he used to work for NOAA and that for sure that was NOT a balloon. So, I pointed a telescope at it, and … . It was a beautiful picture of a balloon with the instrument package hanging below it.

]]> By: ABR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63478 ABR Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:39:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63478 Oh, come on! They were balloons....spy balloons sent from the future by Dr. Zaius in preparation for the imminent ape invasion! Sorry. It's been a long day. Oh, come on! They were balloons….spy balloons sent from the future by Dr. Zaius in preparation for the imminent ape invasion!

Sorry. It’s been a long day.

]]> By: Dan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/comment-page-1/#comment-63477 Dan Mon, 14 Jan 2008 23:32:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2008/01/14/balloonfos/#comment-63477 Swamp gas? Maybe a streetlight? Swamp gas?

Maybe a streetlight?

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