Hi All,
A Reprot in the Sydney Daily Telegraph of a Google Earth image of a "UFO" (their word -- not mine) over Miller's Point, Sydney. In fact, if you look at the pic, Sydney Observatory is just off the image at right (at the top of Windmill Hill) about 300m away from where the image was taken
The report in "The Tele" is here:
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegrap...001021,00.html
Which only shows the mainstream media's propensity to "never let the facts get in the way of a good story". It is very, very obviously an imaging artefact and shows the power of the popular media to potentially manipulate opinion.
Now, just to show I can be objective about these things, in the same article there is a link to another article in the UK Sun newspaper which is here:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle1836403.ece
And relates to footage shot of several "UFO's" (their word again -- not mine) in Istanbul. The article is interesting reading and raises several points for discussion. There are a number of apparently unsubstantiated claims based at least on the video clips by both the person who shot the video, from the Sirius Space Science Research Centre and within the article apparently by the writer.
These (as I see 'em) are some interesting points about the story:
(1) "THIS astonishing video footage is claimed to be the "most important images of a UFO ever filmed" – and is said to even depict ALIENS."
Not supported on the images at all.
(2) The 42-year-old and a number of residents claim the UFOs were spotted over a four month period between May and September near the compound in Istanbul.
Interesting that it is called a "compound" what sort of "compound". The word in this context more often than not is used next to "military". Is it a military compound? We don't know. If it is, then there may well be a rational explaination, but they don't say one way or the other.
(3) "International UFO researcher Haktan Akdogan said: "In this amazing video footage, physical forms of UFOs and their metallic structures are clearly noticeable."
The video on the site does not conclusively support this by any means. Can other footage that is not part of the clip? Dunno. No evidence at all that it is "metallic".
(4) The clips are a compilation of video shot on several nights over several months. There are subtitles in English of what is said presumably in Turkish. Regarding the one on 3rd June, one of the speakers says in talking of its location in the sky "yes, at the corner of this bright star" (emphasis added)
Close to a bright star? Note the time of morning. Is this possibly some sort of an out of focus artefact from imaging Venus or Jupiter that is just out of frame?
(5) The maker of the movie says "I was very excited when I saw them and I want the world to know that UFOs do exist”.
An interesting statement. An inference is possibly supported that this person was already a "believer" before the videos were made??
(6) "What is more important is that in the close-up of some footages of the objects, entities in them can be distinctly made out."
No support at all for this in the video I saw.
If you go here (A UFO site) you will see longer video of the same stuff (about 17 mins):
http://www.ufodata.co.uk/index1.htm
On many occasions, you will see the Moon not far out of shot or visible in a wider angle. I have used a planetarium programme to get a simulated sky for the time, location etc and looked in the area around the moon. When you check the phase of the Moon in the video against the embedded date and the planetarium program, occasionally they don't add up.
On the video purporting to be shot on 8 June, the video shows a gibbous moon when in fact on that date it was a 23% waxing crescent and was not above the horizon at 2.30am.
On the 23 May 2008 the Moon phase is approximately correct and they film a "dot" moving near the moon. Follow the motion of the dot relative to the Moon and it is clearly an internal reflection of the moon within the optics.
On 27 May it is again near the Moon in the video and the phase appears to be correct. Curiously it sems to be in the same position relative to the Moon as shown on 23 May.
On 6 and 8 June there is no Moon in the shot -- no conclusions. On the other shots, where there are some lights shown, many of these are very close to the horizon which appears to be the sea.
I also note that most of the shots appear to be at pretty extreme zoom factors and the "object" seems to change proportions (length -v- breadth) a bit when zooming.
I think nearly all of the "close-ups" are most likely a reflection or an optical artefact within the camera or possibly a reflection off something outside the camera of some sort. Take a look at the video by all means
The video is interesting but is it as touted "most important images of a UFO ever filmed"?
Is that the best they can come up with?
What do you think?
Best,
Les D
If we are so well designed why do we have a structure, the spine, which was originally a bridge but is now a column? 
It's a real pain in the neck ... lower back and thorax. To me that single trait shows that evolution does not necessarily produce an optimal design AND disproves intelligent design. And don't even start me on why males have sensitive reproductive organs on the outside. We all know where that's a pain.
