Brightly lit UFOs over the UK and Russia are lighting up the sky and burning up the Internet. But do they stand up to scrutiny?
A man referring to himself as Space999dude posted a video on YouTube (see above) that shows something in the sky over the Thames Estuary near London on Feb. 5. He wrote that the object "seems too bright for a boat but I could be wrong, and looked like it was above the water. It was a very long way off and I was at full 40x zoom -- hence the shaky footage.
"I always carry a camcorder in my car ... and think more people should be looking and keeping cameras at the ready."
Space999dude's video pulled in a lot of comments, many wondering why the clip was under a minute in length. Perhaps in response to some who complained that the first video clip didn't offer any long-range perspective of the UFO, he posted a second clip to show faraway and close-up views of it.
Watch the Thames UFO Follow-up Clip:
The Huffington Post showed the video to Marc Dantonio, chief photo and video analyst for the Mutual UFO Network.
"I noticed a horizontal glow below the main object glow. It looked like water to me, so I thought it might be a classic ship mirage where a ship out at sea appears to be separated from the horizon because of the temperature differential between the air and water," Dantonio told HuffPost.
Then, when he examined the follow-up video that gave more of a faraway view, showing the UFO with the context of land and water, he was more than convinced.
"You actually see that this object is, indeed, just above the horizon water line, exactly where the ship mirage effect takes place. I believe very strongly -- maybe 98 percent -- that that's what this is."
Armed with that information, we decided to ask Dantonio to look at another video, this one reportedly shot in January in a remote Russian village in the Ural Mountains.
Watch The Donut-Shaped UFO In This Video From Russia:
According to a Russia NTV news report, this circular-shaped, donut-like UFO was seen by several witnesses who were losing sleep after their experience.
But Dantonio -- who creates special effects for several television channels and has specific contracts with the U.S. Navy, Congress and the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington -- says the Russian villagers have no need for sleeping aids.
He's pretty sure this UFO was a device similar to a quad copter he built for a National Geographic special, "The Truth Behind: UFOs," which aired in December 2011.
"It looks like a radio controlled vehicle because it bobbles in the sky exactly like our quad copter," he said. "This is a perfect example of how not knowing about new technologies of nighttime flying can fool you."
Check Out These Photos Of Alleged UFO Sightings:
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Lanterns
These candle-lit Chinese lanterns can rise high into the sky and are often mistaken for UFOs.
Melbourne, Australia, Feb. 2013
This is a composite image of how three alleged UFOs maneuvered about in the sky over Melbourne, Australia, in early February, 2013. The final verdict isn't in yet on whether they're birds, aircraft, balloons, bugs or something truly unidentified.
Exploding Weather Balloons, Not UFOs
On Dec. 20, 2012, a bright, circular object (pictured at the top of this composite image) was videotaped exploding in the skies above Sacramento, Calif. It wasn't immediately identified, resulting in speculation that it was either an alien spacecraft, military top secret weapon, runaway planet, North Korean satellite, among others. Within a short period of time, it became apparent that this was a weather balloon. The bottom part of this image shows such a balloon as it ascended over Tampa Bay, Fla., on July 2, 2012, and exploded in an identical manner as the Sacramento object, probably much to the dismay of all true ET believers out there.
Boomerang UFO composite images -- 10-5-12
This is a composite of images shot by two eyewitnesses of a boomerang-shaped UFO they reported seeing over their Burbank, Calif., home on Oct. 5, 2012. Mutual UFO Network photo/video analyst Marc Dantonio concluded the object was likely "a balloon, floating on the wind that has collapsed in half."
Changing UFO Pattern -- Warren, Mich. 1-10-13
This four-image series of lights in the sky was recorded over Warren, Mich., on Jan. 10, 2013. The lights were seen changing into several patterns. The most logical explanation for these types of UFOs is a series of balloons or lanterns.
UFOs Over Earth
This composite image shows four different times that alleged UFO were photographed above Earth by either space shuttles or the International Space Station. The big question is whether or not they are truly unidentified objects or if they are more likely reflections from spacecraft windows, meteors or fast-moving spacecraft-generated debris.
Pink UFOs Or Lens Flares?
What appear to be pink-red UFOs are actually lens flares from the Google Earth street view camera as it snapped images in Texas (left) and New Mexico (right).
Lens flares Arizona
These two flying saucer-shaped, pink-colored lens flares were created by the Google Maps camera as it drove through locations in Sedona, Ariz. (left) and Flagstaff, Ariz. (right). The images were snapped in April 2009. Submitted to HuffPost by trenna.
Lens flare Whiteriver, Ariz.
This skybound lens flare was created by a Google Maps camera in June 2008 over Whiteriver, Ariz. Submitted to Huffington Post by Cheryl Weeks.
Lens flare Gulfport, Miss.
This very Earthbound lens flare was created by a Google Maps camera in November 2007 at Gulfport, Miss. Submitted to Huffington Post by Jenni Parker.
Lens flare Eureka Springs, Ark.
This seemingly grounded lens flare was created by a Google Maps camera in January 2008 at Eureka Springs, Ark. Submitted to Huffington Post by SE.
Lens flare Escanaba, Mich.
This lens flare appears to be following a car. The Google Maps image was created in October 2008 at Escanaba, Mich. Submitted to Huffington Post by Mary Robinson.
Cincinnati Skydivers NOT UFOs Sept. 28, 2012
On the night of Sept. 28, 2012, a group of strange-looking lights appeared in the sky near Cincinnati, Ohio. First there was one, then, two, then three lights, slowly descending. It turns out, however, that these lights were originating from a group of skydivers performing a pyrotechnics jump at the La Salle High School homecoming event.
Weather Phenomenon
Some UFO sightings may be due to a natural phenomenon known as sprites, like this one shown from 2006. "Lightning from [a] thunderstorm excites the electric field above, producing a flash of light called a sprite," said geophysicist Colin Price.
Clouds
Clouds: Saucer-shaped or "lenticular" clouds that form at high altitudes have been confused with UFOs.
Blimps or Advertising Balloons
Blimps or advertising balloons: These can look like flying saucers from some angles, especially at night.
Sunken Ship in the Baltic Sea
On June 19th the Swedish-based diving company Ocean Explorer discovered something they've never quite seen before. They were exploring in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland looking for sunken treasures when a very unusual image suddenly appeared on the sonar. A 197 feet diameter cylinder shaped object was discovered at the depth of approximately 275 feet which resembles the Millennium Falcon from the movie Star Wars.
Baltic Sea UFO 1
An image released on June 15, 2012, shows a close-up view of the unidentified object sitting on the bottom of the Baltic Sea.
Baltic Sea UFO 2
Close-up of rock bed that forms the Baltic Sea UFO, which still mystifies researchers.
Baltic Sea UFO 3
One of several odd stone circle formations, sitting on top of the unidentified object at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.
Antarctic UFO -- Aug. 10, 2012
A circular UFO hovers above the Neumayer-Station III research facility in Antarctica on Aug. 10, 2012. Theories ranging from a simple weather balloon to a more elaborate ship from another planet have run the Internet gamut. The next slide shows a closeup of the object.
Antarctic UFO Closeup -- Aug. 10, 2012
This is a closeup of the UFO from the previous slide. No official explanation has been offered about the object.
Manufactured UFO -- 2011
Pictured is a quad copter -- a deliberately manufactured UFO created by special effects wizard Marc Dantonio for a National Geographic special, "The Truth Behind: UFOs," which aired in December 2011. On the left is what the small device looks like resting on the ground, measuring 4 feet in circumference. At right, is how it appeared behind a tree in the night sky.
Police Dashboard Camera In Texas
In February of 2012, this fireball was captured by a Texas police chief's A dashboard camera. F.A.A. say this was probably a meteor, falling to Earth. .
Meteors
Meteors: Space debris can create a spectacular light show when it burns through the Earth's atmosphere, and sometimes reported as UFOs.
Civilian or Military Aircraft
Civilian or military aircraft: Planes can look mysterious at night or in certain light conditions, thus confusing an observer.
But how would someone in an isolated Russian town nestled in the Ural Mountains even have access to the materials to build such a high-flying device?
"Oh, you can buy these things on the Internet -- that's where I intentionally bought mine. I wanted to do it completely over the Net on purpose to show that this stuff was available from your computer," Dantonio explained.
"That's why this video looks to me like a quad copter with a ring of lights around it. I think it's a manufactured vehicle. And we did it specifically to expose this technology and to educate people about these things."
Brightly lit UFOs over the UK and Russia are lighting up the sky and burning up the Internet. But do they stand up to scrutiny?
A man referring to himself as Space999dude posted a video on YouTube...
Brightly lit UFOs over the UK and Russia are lighting up the sky and burning up the Internet. But do they stand up to scrutiny?
A man referring to himself as Space999dude posted a video on YouTube...
Just a few isolated cases of Mass Video Hysteria, encouraged and compounded by recent Solar activity acting upon the earth's magnetic field, while light from Venus is refracting off of Swamp Gas giving the illusion of UFO's shooting down beams of light and taking off at incredible speeds.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
Marcusarilius: Just a few isolated cases of Mass Video Hysteria, encouraged
I saw a UFO in upstate NY. Not sure if it was aliens or some top secret stuff from the government, but I don't think I'll ever forget it and I hope to see another one(hopefully I'll have a good video camera.)
Goldie_Treasure: I saw a UFO in upstate NY. Not sure if
Everyone please listen to what I am about to say!! My name is Russ and I am going to get terminated from my species because I took what you people call an OATH I gave my word ha ha you people use that all the time and I love it ha ha wow anyway I am here to let you know that yes people I and many other's are here on Earth for a so called experiment and also a learning period to teach the other 8955,762,799,000 Alien Life forms that are going to take over your planet Earth and send you humans to the other side of the universe. I have been alive now for 478 years and I will tell you people that your species is by far the most twisted back stabbing group of misfits I have ever come across. You may think that this is a joke but rest assured it is real and you better listen.. Oh by the way the big deal about 2012 is real so wake up stop watching that box TV you people are so easily influenced by anything. we are way more intellegent than you and the crying has got to stop it just makes you look more stupid. We can make ourselve float in the air . Okay here they come after me now. You are welcome''''''''''''.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
RS552233: Everyone please listen to what I am about to say!!
There are many people that need attention and create a hoax. BUT, there are too many unexplained phenomenon in the night and even day skies that have proven to be unusual. Now really, do you think that we, as the human species, in the greater scope of hundreds of thousands of cosmic universes are the only intelligence life out there? Mathematically speaking, the odds are that there are other intelligence visiting us, that we have experienced, and soon will make known their confirmed presence to everyone soon.
JudKast: There are many people that need attention and create a
JudKast...I am convinced there are other forms of life but the problem is....trying to convince the earthlings to think outside the box. Look at the condition our world is in, a great majority of the human race are hooked on prescription drugs, illegal drugs, booze, and they are mentally deficient. You would be farther ahead to reason with the aliens vs people. Think about all the stoners, if they were brought aboard a UFO they would just think it was a bad trip. LOL You cannot reason with insanity.
nightwind1: JudKast...I am convinced there are other forms of life but
As stated I am personally very interested on anything UFO related just not interested in seeing the same article for a week straight, hence the asking can't you print anything new on the subject and that's all, nothing more than that.
saksr1of3: As stated I am personally very interested on anything UFO
UFO's do not exist. When alien life does come the first indication will be a 99.9% effective disease that hits the planet like a hurricane out of no where. For the 1% huddling in burnt out cities the bright lights in the sky will herald in a time of "clean up horrors" they will have wished they had perished with the first wave...was that too dark?
Patric_Douglas: UFO's do not exist. When alien life does come the
This looks similar to the UFO I saw a couple months ago here in TN. My UFO was a huge bright light like on this one, but no discernible hole in the center, it ooked alot like the sun, but smaller and IT MOVED as I watched!! It went behind a tall tree and then disappeared.
forestlady: This looks similar to the UFO I saw a couple
continued: It was semi-transparent, stayed motionless, without noise of any kind. The interesting part that it had a sedative effect. It communicated stuff like: I am nothing don't pay
attentiont to me. So, I did, but kept looking up at it. It finally left after about 20 minutes it left then
met up with another one down the mountain range, then they left together.
wutrup: continued: It was semi-transparent, stayed motionless, without noise of any
There could be a natural explanation for this, although it's been so long since I heard it that I will bungle the science.
There are about three locations in the world where similar lights occur on a regular basis, and have been for hundreds of years. One of them is somewhere in Australia. One of them is in Marfa Texas (the Marfa lights), and I forget where the other one is.
Scientists don't really know what causes these lights, but there has been speculation that they are cause by plasma streams crated by the earth's magnetosphere.
Crisdean_Wulver: There could be a natural explanation for this, although it's
About 35 miles NE of Albuq., NM in 06 I was working with two others on a mining site on San Pedro mountain when an orb showed up around noon in the eastern sky.
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First Posted: 02/ 9/2012 8:25 am Updated: 02/ 9/2012 4:43 pm