Google Maps image snaps UFO??

This was actually brought up on another site, but just wanted to know what you guys thought of the anomaly on this Google Maps image.

Apparently Google use these 'blobs' to cover up restricted areas, but the position is right above a residential area? What exactly is worth hiding? Any photo experts know what this could be?

Thanks in advance foy any help

Link:

maps.google.com...,-80.074550&spn=0.007896,0.015364&t=k&hl=en

Zoom in a bit if you don't see anything. Trust me, its there!

Yeah it does look like a UFO. It could be a cloud. But not a cloud I ever seen before

Wow, that's a bizarre image, thanks for sharing! I have no idea what it could be...

Interestingly enough, the other day.. I haven't checked today, but you could clearly see Groom Lake (Area 51) from Google Maps.

No 'blobs'

Its actually a really interesting shot of a round silver mylar ballon at a high altitude. Just like the shots of airplanes in flight. Only this "ballon" is like at 100,000 or more feet in the air. Probably some type of research ballon used for atmospheric tests. Just happens to be floating under the view of the SAT.

(these Ballons I heard are as tall as a ten story building and can be several hundered feet in diameter)

Personally I'd like to see what our amazing artists here think about it.

Originally posted by robertfenix
Its actually a really interesting shot of a round silver mylar ballon at a high altitude. Just like the shots of airplanes in flight. Only this "ballon" is like at 100,000 or more feet in the air. Probably some type of research ballon used for atmospheric tests. Just happens to be floating under the view of the SAT.

(these Ballons I heard are as tall as a ten story building and can be several hundered feet in diameter)

That was my first thought...looks like it has some sorta blue coloured tint to its north side, perhaps because its reflecting the atmosphere? Also, I don't know if the object is simply out of focus, but it appears to have a motion-blur effect surrounding it, suggesting quick movement perhaps? I'm no photo analysis expert so if any of you folks out there who have experience in that field could lend a hand then maybe we can de-bunk this one...

The blurriness suggests that the object is much closer to the satellite, since the satellite's camera is focused for surface photography or video.

The shadows of the object on the ground fall up and left, suggesting the light source is down and left, but the object's top right side is darkened, suggesting a light source from bottom left.

I don't know what that means. I don't think google is going to fake one of its own photos.

exactly delta chaos thats why I think it's a big ballon at say 100,000 feet up much closer to the SAT image field then whats in focus. (ground level).

The blurriness, the angular refraction of light off the silver surface creating the blue hue. I think the object is very high up.

That sounds pretty good to me, Bob.

Now what about the varying light source issue? Reflection or refraction from the atmosphere sounds plausible, but I don't know much about the difference between the atmosphere high up and down low, and if there could be that much refraction going on.

Originally posted by robertfenix
exactly delta chaos thats why I think it's a big ballon at say 100,000 feet up much closer to the SAT image field then whats in focus. (ground level).

The blurriness, the angular refraction of light off the silver surface creating the blue hue. I think the object is very high up.

Thanks for the info robertfenix , a weather baloon is certainly the most plausible explanation. Seems extraordinary to me that someone actually came across this accidently, considering the vastness of the area you can view using Google Maps!

What a image.... I don't know what the heck it is!

the higher you go, the more of the sun's unfiltered rays you get, the lower you are in the atmosphere the more, stuff between you and the sun, so more filtering into the spectrum that humans see. The higher you go up the less filtering there is and the more amplified colors become off reflective surfaces to the point that you can determine there chemical make up by the type and intensity of the light wave length that is being reflected.

Think similar process in determining chemical make up on far away planets based on how the sunlight is filtered and refracted back to us as visable light. We can only "see" solar objects because the sun's light energy has travelled out to the object and is being "bounced" or refracted back to us in the form of visable light. Some materials or elements absorb a specific amount of solar energy and what is refracted is modified from the original source (the sun) this difference is what we can measure to then determine what the object is that the sun light has bounced back from.

p.s. an object like earth or our moon if devoid of any artifical lights (made by humans) would appear to be a dark object in the solar "sky" if not for the Sun's light being bounced off of it.

If you approached the dark side of the moon, while the sun was on the opposite side of the earth, so that the moon was before you and the earth behind the moon and the sun behind the earth. You would not be able to discern the moon or the earth from the solar space around you, save for probably a faint aurora around the earth due to light bouncing off the upper atmosphere.



[edit on 12-5-2005 by robertfenix]

interesting pic.

By chance I came across some info on this phenomenon, there also seems to be multiple ones found:


image source

Some theories from various sources:

- Weather Balloon
- Swamp gas
- Satellite Lens Anomoly (condensation, etc.)


Here's some links:

Google sightseeing

Random object

Mapped Location of objects

Those do seem interesting...but if it was one of these ballons, and it, being closer to the satellite, wouldn't that further increase its size appearance? And if it's 10 stories tall and hundreds of feet in diameter as someone said....wouldn't that make it appear way larger than the questionable 'blobs' in the photograph?

Originally posted by quadricle

image source

The ones that aren't circular would seem to rule out a solid object such as a disc or balloon.

I would go for some sort of lens/software anomaly. The uniformity of the shading ( white, grey, blue fading back to white ) would also seem to indicate an anomaly. Solid objects would tend to be shaded in different orientations depending on the time of day and location.

Looking at the general response to these images in various forums I don't think we can confirm the origin of the objects. Weather balloon is the most likely in my opinion but there is still no real proof of this being the answer. I decided to e-mail Google Maps today to ask them if they could shed any light on this. Waiting for a response so watch this space folks...

i once tracked down area 51 using terraserver to find out it WASNT shown, they didnt show that area, can someone show me area 51 using google maps, i couldnt find it lol, these things are wierd... maybe they are there just to mark certain things out and i am sure its to big for a weather balloon,

[edit on 18-5-2005 by spyrolot]

yeah, search Groom Lake Nevada and you'll come to Little A'Le'Inn.
The follow the road to the lefttill you find a round lake. Ejoy. Anybody know any ither interesting locations?

hhmm... i tried that before but it didnt work, anyhows, i will try again, ty
EDIT: it dont work

[edit on 18-5-2005 by spyrolot]