Soyuz launch today -- three objects swoop past on way to space

Check out www.youtube.com...

... and watch the white dots rising past the ascending rocket at 2 min 40 [on left],
at 3 min 50 sec [on left], and at 4 min 00 sec [on rt].

We've seen these kinds of scenes before. What could they be?

Wow, these objects have your attention, Jim.

Must be something strange,eh? I must look at them then. After that, I'll say birds. Even if I don't know what they are.

When we go out there... "we never walk alone"....

Satellites with rocket boosters attached to them?

I would think that would be your conclusion for these UFOs.... what is your guess Jim?
My guess is private funded space vehicles activity. They aren't sharing, or making public, all the best technology with us, if you think they are, then I have a chocolate bridge in China up for sale if you're interested.

Okay, not birds.

Maybe aircraft between the camera and the rocket?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say stars.

Cool launch.

I watched the video and didn't notice anything odd. Then I went to the points outlined in the OP and I realized I didn't notice anything odd because these UFOs were the rocket flying past stars as the camera pans to follow it.


Pretty cool video though

Stars don't make sense, the camera isn't panning that far and steadily to follow this dot.
Easy way to prove the star theory would be to brighten up the video to make the dimmer stars visible and see if they are all moving on the same path as the objects.

Originally posted by iamhobo
I'm going to go out on a limb and say stars.

Cool launch.

I'd guess the same. The camera is tracking the rocket, and the "points of light" do appear to be keeping a constant trajectory against the moving camera.

Also at 3:40+ when there are several on the screen at the same time, it looks like they are keeping their distance form each other... suggesting they could be stars.

Im going to have to say Stars, they dont move in the frame, only in relation to where the rocket is traveling.

Originally posted by Mkoll
I watched the video and didn't notice anything odd. Then I went to the points outlined in the OP and I realized I didn't notice anything odd because these UFOs were the rocket flying past stars as the camera pans to follow it.

That's my interpretation, but it is counter-intuitive and the same 'illusion' has shown up as 'UFOs following missiles' for decades. I went and checked Heavens-Above for the launch site and the brighter star may be Capella, with a liftoff track heading east of north out of Baykonur.

I expect the video to show up as 'UFOs following Soyuz' on youtube shortly, but my point is that it's an honest mistake, and especially with aerospace events, we're faced with a torrent of videos that if we interpret them in earthside terms, WILL look really weird.

But good comments from all.

Mods, you probably need to move this to a different category, unless somebody does come forth claiming they are UFOs.

Beautiful launch -- folks who were there said the rocket lit up the snow-covered steppe for miles around as it rose into a clear sky, 0 degrees F, full of stars.

And speaking of strange aerospace events whose video views can baffle folks, the Russians say they will launch another 'Bulava' missile from the White Sea in a few days. Norwegians, watch the skies!!

Not sure that they're stars..
Look at 2:40 and you'll see one really close to the rocket.. You can see it through the rocket's flare..
If it was a star, there's no way you'd see it through the rocket flare, because it's too bright. Same reason you can't see many stars from the city, because there's too much light..

Although it does look as though the objects are stationary, while the camera is following the rocket..

reply to post by iamhobo


i don't think they are stars because i can see very faint stars in the film that are stationary whilst the lights are moving , now i have no idea as to what they are but i don't think they stars .

The objects seem to have a linear trajectory from what I can see. Could they just be space stations or satellites in low earth orbit..?

And [drumroll please]......................

Here's the predicted UFO claim on YOUTUBE:

UFO? Following when Sending new Members to ISS Today 2011-12-21
www.youtube.com...

reply to post by JimOberg


Unfortunately, some wont investigate what they are looking at. Thanks for the post, Jim. Im sure we'll see a few threads started on this subject in the coming days....

I have no idea nor does anyone else and I have to wonder why it's necessary, Jim, to start another one of these useless "lookee here" threads.

Originally posted by butcherguy
Okay, not birds.

Maybe aircraft between the camera and the rocket?

why not birds? That is what it looks to be to me. Much closer to the camera of course and so out of focus as the focus point is much higher on the rocket. So if the focus is on the rocket then the much lower birds would look to be whitish (reflecting light from the launch area) dots floating across the screen. Sorry to me they are birds.

Originally posted by JimOberg
We've seen these kinds of scenes before. What could they be?

What's the matter Jim? Bored?

Korolyov Cross



Now stop teasing the Lemmings