Identified Flying Object over New Mexico

My family and I saw this tonight floating in the skies over our house. It was really incredible to see.

We saw a bright white spot nearly stationary in the sky. I ran and grabbed the digital camera and took these pics


Click for larger image.pic1


Click for larger image.Pic2

We were really amazed. But to me it didn't seem quite right. My camera has no zoom. So I ran in and grabbed my telescope.
I set it up and the sidewalk across the street, and sighted it in. And what do you think I saw???
An I.F.O. Identified Flying Object
A weather balloon actually. It was pretty cool. It had 4 "arms" hanging off it, and you could make out the payload hanging under it.

This is the second such launch in New Mexico this week.

It is easy to understand how someone could mistake this for a UFO.

[edit on 9/23/2004 by phreak_of_nature]

Wow, it's hard to tell the difference when the sun is shining. But nice to know that you did find out thats what it was. I have a story like you. But I still think it was a UFO due to when I saw it the weather got very windy forcing me to go inside because I felt like it might hurt me.

Is That a Swamp Cooler on top of your house? You must live in a old house to have one of does.

[edit on 24-9-2004 by RATT]

Alot of skeptics say that "all" ufo's are those balloons or something of that sort. But as Huria86 said it is very hard to tell when the sun is shining!!!

I am sure that it would be hard to differentiate with the naked eye, and especially at mid day. I saw this just before sunset. Once the sun dropped below the horizon the IFO seemed to disappear completely. If it had been earlier in the day, I may not have even seen it.

And yeah RATT, that is a swamp cooler. They're real common out here in New Mexico.

cool post, you are a clever guy using that telescope of yours to identify that object.