The Cleveland UFO: What on Earth?

re: the Story

It would seem plausible to me that if this story was being covered by a mainstream news agency that there's much more information to be had than is being shown in the two and a half minute news segment, whether this reported phenomenon turns out to be a hoax, an alien spacecraft, or forever unexplained.

re: the reaction

That said, I'm tired of the knee-jerk reactions that are so prevalent on this website. I guess I visit UFO threads under the assumption that what I'm going to find isn't going to provide solid evidence for the existence of extra-terrestrials. Said evidence will be mainstream news.

To the knee-jerkers:

Yes, it's a video of some blurry lights and yes, you have a right to bitch and moan about that. Grats, you are a student of ufology, you may have read enough to know what constitutes "good" evidence, but you've forgotten a very important part, which leaves you in bad form: Where is your patience? Your reservation of judgment until all (or at least more) facts come in?

Temporary conclusion:

The ufology forums here have more Condon's than Hynek's. And that sucks.

Seems like i see a thread about lake erie once a year. 95% of metro/suburban people know exactly whats going on out there, especially if you've ever flown into Hopkins. Ive lived on the lakefront all of my life and you are going to see those types of lights all night every night, always. Ill give you two reasons.

1. Almost all approaches of airplanes must approach hopkins airport with a north/south approach. Ive flow from vegas and ny and both times i had to fly over the city, out onto the lake, bank hard to take a southern approach back into the city. On a clear night, especially in the summer you can see 3 or 4 jets lines up to take the approach , 2 headlights on each plane visible. On a hazy/couldy night, youll see jumbles of lights hit or miss, but its pretty obvious. In an urban environment its not as easy distinguishing aircraft from ambient noise so they arent always heard at that height.

2. There is what i believe to be a shipping channel of merchant marine or frieghters of some sort a mile off the coast. Big ships..if you go to edgewater beach or the peir off of e55th or in an office building you can see a ton of them all day. They're heavily lit at night though.

But hey, what do i know, it was a ufo on the news right? Bet they get good ratings stirring up a laugh. I also find it bizarre that an alien race with the technology to travel great distances in space and or time, and manipulate gravity, needs lights to see at night.

Besides, there is a DOD installation in Bratenhal in some old silos on the lakefront. Ill give google coordinates if someone needs them. If it was unidentified, you can be sure you'd see more scrambled fighters than anything after what possibly happened here on 911.

[edit on 14-3-2010 by Castellan]

This is an interesting video

Between 1:25 and 1:42
Could that be real?

For many years, you have seen us as lights in the skies
We speak to you now in peace and wisdom
In order that you may share the great awakening,
as the planet passes into the New Age of Aquarious....

Vrillon, of Ashtar Command 1977

People who try to discredit these sorts of things really don't give their fellow humans enough credit, imo. I'd be much more likely to believe it was a remote control device of some sort, than say, a star, or a helicopter. I mean c'mon, these people see helicopters and stars just like us: i.e. all the time, especially over cities. I doubt people would be gathering on the beaches to try to watch these, if they were but conventional things. People can often be tricked by unconventional things, but common things? Not so much.

As far as an RC goes, can they stay up for 2 hours? I can't even fathom how they would be there, considering I highly doubt someone is out on the frozen, ice-chunk filled lake on a boat controlling them. These seem to be well out there.

I hope someone has the common sense to get some high-quality equipment out there to make heads or tails of these things.

Originally posted by Elepheagle
re: the Story
Mainstream ……News CNN & ABC

It would seem plausible to me that if this story was being covered by a mainstream news agency that there's much more information to be had than is being shown in the two and a half minute news segment, whether this reported phenomenon turns out to be a hoax, an alien spacecraft, or forever unexplained.

re: the reaction

That said, I'm tired of the knee-jerk reactions that are so prevalent on this website. I guess I visit UFO threads under the assumption that what I'm going to find isn't going to provide solid evidence for the existence of extra-terrestrials. Said evidence will be mainstream news.

To the knee-jerkers:

Yes, it's a video of some blurry lights and yes, you have a right to bitch and moan about that. Grats, you are a student of ufology, you may have read enough to know what constitutes "good" evidence, but you've forgotten a very important part, which leaves you in bad form: Where is your patience? Your reservation of judgment until all (or at least more) facts come in?

Temporary conclusion:

The ufology forums here have more Condon's than Hynek's. And that sucks.

NSG52 says;
Mainstream ……News CNN
posted by Elepheagle
It would seem plausible to me that if this story was being covered by a mainstream news agency that there's much more information to be had than is being shown in the two and a half minute news segment, whether this reported phenomenon turns out to be a hoax, an alien spacecraft, or forever unexplained.
…………………………
NSG says ….Hmmmm…It would seem plausible
I agree with you that it was a shame they didn’t do a better job. But I am sure there were more important things in the news at that time perhaps isn’t that the way it goes. If you havent realized it UFO reports barely make the news at all. Then when you try to research unclassified Government Data it’s all blacked out. So I can only say one thing it wouldn’t make a dng difference what mainstream news covered it cause there is hardly any ever done at all.
……………………………..
posted by Elepheagle
re: the reaction
That said, I'm tired of the knee-jerk reactions that are so prevalent on this website. I guess I visit UFO threads under the assumption that what I'm going to find isn't going to provide solid evidence for the existence of extra-terrestrials. Said evidence will be mainstream news.
……………………………
NSG52says;
Well if you admit that you come to ufo threads under the assumption you are not going to find any solid evidence that SUITS your means. Go to Google and do a search there. I am sure there are main street news articles out there somewhere they may be slim Pickens tho.
……………………………….....
posted by Elepheagle
To the knee-jerkers:
……………………………….....
NSG52 says
And to all the UFO Drill Sergeant’s
Yes we have blurred pictures and no we don’t bitch an moan except when it involves any of you drill sergeants and your constant nagging of issues that perturb you to the point of childish complaints.
Need I say more?????
NSG says here we go …….

posted by Elepheagle………………………………...................posted by NSG52
Yes, it's a video of some blurry lights and yes, …. ……dah no kidding as if no one could tell
you have a right to bitch and moan about that…………Thanks drill sergeant I will write that one down.
Grats, you are a student of ufology, ………………………………....Your welcome SIR
you may have read enough to know what constitutes "good" evidence, ……………....................................................................Yes SIR I have
………………………………..............
posted by Elepheagle
Where is your patience? Your reservation of judgment until all (or at least more) facts come in?
………………………………............
NSG52says
Ummmm isn’t that clear to you yet…..
……………………………….......
posted by Elepheagle
Temporary conclusion:
……………………………….......
posted by Elepheagle
The ufology forums here have more Condon's than Hynek’s And that sucks.
……………………………….......
NSG52 says; I have posted some of the mainstream News

ABC news
abcnews.go.com...

CNN Reporting on UFOs?
newsblaze.com...

reply to post by NorthStargal52




(rubs eyes)

Still curious to hear from others who may have had the chance to visit the area the last night or two, and curious to see what else comes up in the next few days. Unfortunately, they aren't doing much follow-up on their local news website, and the comments there aren't very helpful either.

[edit on 14-3-2010 by Elepheagle]

Originally posted by fleabit
People who try to discredit these sorts of things really don't give their fellow humans enough credit, imo.

I'm sorry, but of course we shouldn't give any credit to our fellow man, if you are at all, tricked by any of these pics I just posted. If not, then you are a robot.

Either we have scientific data to collect, or I can easily say, the possibility of an illusion is pretty great. Just because you think something is "zipping through the sky", doesn't mean it actually is.

[edit on 14-3-2010 by TravisT]

This is quite a story - but you know I'm really not surprised that this is the best footage we've got.

The Marfa Lights were happening for how many years before a team of scientists went to investigate? It was a long time.

I think, overall, people nowadays are wanting life and the economy to get back to normal before they are willing to take on more fantastic beliefs. They are still coping with the idea that this country might not make it out of this recession and the economy may collapse completely. Also, the lot of us on here at ATS would be out there with cameras and tripods because we value disclosure, but how many are there out there who really value it the way we do?

I think about it this way - if I were to ever be able to touch an alien ship, a bonafide alien spacecraft, I think I would self-implode. In my mind I'm thinking "My God! I am TOUCHING something that was built or mass produced on an alien world, by alien intelligence! this material composition is likely not even known to us! And I'm touching it!!!! My skin to the surface of the ship!!!" I don't know about you, but such an event would bring me peace on so many levels and yet open the door for so many other questions and fantastic ideas - my mind would boggle. It would immediately alter my personal philosophy on so many things. And to other people who don't revere the experience like us, the idea of touching an alien space craft would be "cool", just something to twitter about or put on Facebook and say "Yeah, so what?". But that's not us, is it?

1988 Lake Eerie UFO FOIA Coast Guard Document

Originally posted by TravisT

Originally posted by fleabit
People who try to discredit these sorts of things really don't give their fellow humans enough credit, imo.

I'm sorry, but of course we shouldn't give any credit to our fellow man, if you are at all, tricked by any of these pics I just posted. If not, then you are a robot.

Either we have scientific data to collect, or I can easily say, the possibility of an illusion is pretty great. Just because you think something is "zipping through the sky", doesn't mean it actually is.

[edit on 14-3-2010 by TravisT]

I agree. Even though I live in an environment with nice weather to inspire people to get out at night, I am constantly amazed at how little they know about their skies. They would much prefer realitytv, or if they do go out, they don't look up. Show them Venus at its brightest and they freak out.

And going off topic, I liked your examples of how easily the eye is tricked. My favourite:

web.mit.edu...

Even though I regard myself as highly knowledgable in imaging and I know it's correct, I still cannot believe it...

reply to post by NorthStargal52

Technically I never said the UFO was a fighter plane, only that we have an eyewitness account of jets flying toward the area of the UFO around the time these sightings have been occurring. Many UFO sightings have involved a strange object surrounded or pursued by jets or other military aircraft. But it could indeed be the jets themselves, I'm not discounting anything.

reply to post by Castellan

Originally posted by Castellan
But hey, what do i know, it was a ufo on the news right? Bet they get good ratings stirring up a laugh. ... If it was unidentified, you can be sure you'd see more scrambled fighters than anything after what possibly happened here on 911.
[edit on 14-3-2010 by Castellan]

We did see scrambled fighters. Please read the thread.

---

Look, everyone, we're all just dying to say "it was this" or "it was that," but the bottom line is that so far we only have some crude, totally inconclusive camera footage and a whole lot of public excitement to go on, here. We can't know exactly what it is yet, so let's just be patient. We will hopefully get some more pics / footage soon.

I think People forget what a UFO is.... let me remind you all. Unidentified Flying Object. UFO doesn't mean an alien from another planet. It means there is something flying that can't be identified. Whether or not it is NASA or obama's secret military, either way...people on the ground don't know what it is and therefore it is a UFO!

UPDATE FROM A LOCAL!

Folks, went the area in question on Saturday night and due to poor weather conditions was not able to see anything. Since weather conditions were similar last night, Sunday, I did not make the attempt. We are currently, Monday morning, experiencing heavy low-level cloud cover and light rain. The weather forecast calls for eventual clearing to partly cloudy skies this evening. If conditions warrant, I will once again be at the end of E224th St. with binoculars, camera and tripod and video recorder to document any of the "Activity."

I just wanted to follow-up on a few things just so folks can have a better understanding of the atmosphere, environment etc... As I have previously described, Lake Erie is the shallowest of the great lakes with an average depth of only about 62 feet. It is only 210 feet deep at it's deepest point which is called the Eastern Basin Hole. It is interesting to note that these sighting seem to coincide with that particular area of the lake. This has also been the area where many previous reports of UFO activity have been logged over the past 2 decades.

Currently, the lake temperature is 33 degress fahrenheit. The lake is about 1/3 covered in fracturing and melting ice. Due to the prevailing windes generally coming out of the NW, the ice flows have a tendency to cluster in this particular area of the lake. I bring up this point to make a few things clear - namely, one cannot walk out onto the lake ice as it is fractured and very dangerous. For those same reasons, one cannot take a boat to the area in question. Additionally, shipping lanes at this time of year are considerably further north than the area in question but are frequented by large barges, container ships and tankers.

Local average temperatures are about 44 degrees fahrenheit daytime highs and about 27 degrees fahrenheit average nightly lows. I mention this so that others may understand the local climate conditions. Because the lake is partially frozen, has a low water temperature and may be subject to rapidly fluctuating atmospheric temperatures, we experience a very unique micro-climate - namely FOG! Visibility over the lake, regardless of current weather conditions, may be restricted at any given time.

Some have mentioned the proximity to Hopkins International Airport (CLE map) and the air traffic patterns of approaching and departing commercial flights. You will notice from the attached map that the runways run in a SW to NE pattern. Depending on weather conditions, like prevailing winds, will determine whether or not flights approach from the NE OR the SW for landing. Since previaling winds are generally from the W or NW, planes typically circle over the city of Cleveland on approach. On a clear night, it is not uncommon to see as many as 8, 10 or more planes lining up for approach over the lake. The AMOUNT of approaching air traffic determines the distance over the lake that a plane will be required to fly in order to take up position for approach. The area of the latest sightings are EAST of where planes would typically position for approach - as Euclid is about 15 miles EAST of Cleveland and Hopkins is about 20 miles SW of Cleveland. Normal air traffic patterns would have planes lining up directly North of the city of Cleveland for a Southbound approach - NORMALLY. On a final note, upon approach these aricraft will have their landing lights activated - which appear as two headlights. The navigation strobes, colored beacons and tail lights would not be typically seen upon approach until the plane itself becomes visible overhead. Finally, approaching aircraft have been a staple of Cleveland air traffic for many decades and would be immediately familiar and easily recognized by many locals.

Also worthy of mentioning are the other 2 airports in the area... Cuyahoga County Regional Airport and Burke Lakefront airport. CC Regional is located in the Highland Heights/Richmond Heights area which is DIRECTLY south of the Euclid area sightings by about 7 miles. This ariport specializes in small single and twin engine aircraft and commuter jets and has VERY sporadic to infrequent traffic. It would be highly unusual to consistently witness air traffic as a result of this airport. Burke Lakefront Airport is located right on the lake in downtown Cleveland and has even less traffic than CC Regional. Approaching traffic to Burke would come directly from the East and would generally apporach well South of the sighting area.

On a final note, NorthEast Ohio has a long history of UFO sightings - many from the area in question. Believers have long surmised about the possibility of an underwater base or landing area beneath Lake Erie in Eastern Basin Hole. Because the lake is so shallow, it is very silty and has about zero visibility - even on a good day! If you are a follower of "USOs", you would recognize and appreciate this location being perfect for an underwater base.

Since I have yet to personally witness these recent sightings, I cannot, with any degree of certainty say that it IS or ISN'T... well, anything! The available video and photos are reminiscent of sightings that I HAVE seen in years past, but are far from conclusive by any stretch of the imagination. Until I put my OWN eyes on it, I will reserve judgement. That being said, I doubt that my own eye witness testimony will convince anyone of anything. I will attempt to capture video and photos of the anomoly for your review if conditions permit. PLease stay tuned!

reply to post by kozmo


I thank you for your investigation and wish you the best of luck!

Originally posted by Victoria 1
I think People forget what a UFO is.... let me remind you all. Unidentified Flying Object. UFO doesn't mean an alien from another planet. It means there is something flying that can't be identified. Whether or not it is NASA or obama's secret military, either way...people on the ground don't know what it is and therefore it is a UFO!

And of course - you are right.

BUT

When people start talking about "zipping around", extreme speeds, sudden changes of direction etc. they are inferring (implying) that we are talking about craft behaving in a way that "known" aircraft can't.

Even then we often hear those arguments about "the UFO not being of human origin" (now we are talking craft - not celestial objects).
Having someone claiming something like that is very amusing since they take on the part of being an expert in all known scientific fields - even to the point of being experts on interdimensional travel.

"NASA and the military have categorically claimed that they had nothing in the air at said time or place".
This we believe in UFO-threads but NEVER in conspiracy-threads.

And honestly - have you ever tried phoning NASA or the airforce for this kind of information?
I have and it is not easy to get anyone to commit to anything. After the call you are left with a few thoughts: Did they lie? Did they care? Are they laughing now?

When people post a clip or picture and say something like: "look at what I've seen. Isn't it just strange", we can start trying to figure it out.

When people start a discussion that basically say something like: "I think it as a UFO (implied Alien Craft), prove to me that is wasn't", then some of us have the small hairs on our backs stand up, and we have a knee jerk reaction, that sometimes seem overly condescending. I'm sorry for that.

You must, however, also accept that we have an equal and just as forceful knee jerk reaction from Ufologists if we point at the picture of Sirius and claim that "it is Sirius".

They hate me for trying to be critical and I dislike their "not being critical at all".

Originally posted by kozmo
***snip***
I will attempt to capture video and photos of the anomoly for your review if conditions permit. PLease stay tuned!

When you do - and if you see the object in question - please include the following:

1. Exact time of first sighting
   
2. exact location (where you are)
   
3. Compas direction to sighting
   
4. Approximate elevation
   
5. Any movements horisontally or vertically
   
6. Time from start to finish
   

Originally posted by HolgerTheDane

Originally posted by kozmo
***snip***
I will attempt to capture video and photos of the anomoly for your review if conditions permit. PLease stay tuned!

When you do - and if you see the object in question - please include the following:

1. Exact time of first sighting
   
2. exact location (where you are)
   
3. Compas direction to sighting
   
4. Approximate elevation
   
5. Any movements horisontally or vertically
   
6. Time from start to finish
   

That's the plan!!! Still experiencing complete cloud cover, rain has ended. Hopefully visibility improves by nightfall.

reply to post by kozmo


Yeah, I wish you luck, cause like I said earlier in this thread, I'm just not that convinced with the other videos. I'm more interested in the maneuvers that were describes, then just a stationary light in the sky. I just hope the sky clears out for you.

For the record, it will be virtually impossible to establish an approximate elevation for a sighting unless you have at least two people at separate locations to form a parallax, or the object being sighted is recognizable as something of known size and proportion.

But then again, if we are to assume its location lies over a certain area of Lake Erie, then we might be able to establish a range of possible elevations, based on one sighting...

Just thinking out loud, I guess.

[edit on 15-3-2010 by Magnus47]

reply to post by Magnus47


Magnus,

I'm already ahead of you on this. I am an avid shooter and plan on bringing my spotting scope and range-finder. This will help in determining distance, size and elevation but will not prove to be completely accurate.