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Misidentifying Natural Phenomena 39

Misidentifying Natural

Phenomena as UFOs

(How Many UFOs Have

Natural Explanations)

by J Allen Danelek

While it is a fact that many UFOs are the product
of hoaxing, imagination, mass delusion, and
hysteria, there remains a tiny fraction of reports
made each year that do not fit into any of these
categories. These are reports made by competent
observers not normally prone to making
mistakes or to letting their imaginations run
wild, forcing us to consider other possible
explanations to account for the bulk of these
sightings. To do so, however, it will be necessary
to first consider some of the more prosaic
explanations for UFOs usually given by
explanation for almost any mysterious light seen long strings of lenticular clouds, creating a
skeptics.
in the sky (especially when the planet is formation known as a wave cloud, but
Debunkers generally dismiss the bulk of
present). This, however, is a bit disingenuous. sometimes, under the right conditions of wind
UFO sightings as the misidentification of some
Venus is a fixed point of light and as such is and thermal currents, they can take on a
astronomical/natural phenomena or some man-
unlikely to be mistaken as a UFO by those who roundish or oval shape that can be
made object of some kind, and while many
possess some basic knowledge of astronomy, extraordinarily unnatural and even "saucer-like"
dismiss such explanations as simplistic, the fact
nor is it likely to be interpreted as anything other in appearance, which in turn can be confused for
is that many, if not most, UFOs can usually be
than what it is by pilots, police officers, or other an extremely large disk by people unfamiliar
explained away as unusually bright stars and
trained observers. Additionally, it is also a with such meteorological phenomenon. Further,
planets, high altitude balloons, orbiting satellites
simple matter of determining Venus' location their exotic nature is often further enhanced
and misidentified aircraft. As such, it's important
and luminosity on any given evening, making it when seen alone against a clear blue sky or
we examine each of these possibilities, if only in
a fairly easy task to either confirm or reject it as when they quickly dissipate due to rapidly
an effort to better appreciate the difficulties
a possible explanation. As such, it is not changing air pattern, giving the impression that
investigators frequently face when looking at the
generally a good explanation for the better eye- they have "sped away". Only those entirely
phenomena from a scientific perspective. This
witness accounts reported-especially in those unfamiliar with this phenomenon are likely to be
list is by no means exhaustive, but I believe it
cases where an unidentified light is seen to fooled by a lenticular cloud, however, especially
does cover the bulk of alternative explanations
maneuver in the sky. once they observe one for a while and realize it
usually given to explain UFOs.
is not moving nor that it appears to be
Meteors, Comets, and Fireballs: This is a less mechanical in nature. Still, for the unaware, it
The planet Venus: It's no coincidence that UFO
common explanation, especially since most can be a strange sight and one that might be
reports go up sharply whenever Venus makes an
people are familiar with meteors (or "shooting easily confused for something otherworldly.
especially bright appearance in the night sky, so
stars" as they are commonly called) and so are
this explanation is not as far-fetched as it seems.
unlikely to mistake one for a UFO. Comets are Ball Lightning: Among the more unusual and
Under the proper conditions, Venus can be
even less likely to be mistaken for a UFO, lesser understood electrical curiosities known to
among the brightest objects in the sky—
especially since they remain fixed in the sky, can science is something called "ball lighting", a
especially on a moonless night—and has even
be seen for weeks at a time and are usually not phenomenon that has only been identified within
been known to be visible in the daytime under
particularly bright in the first place. A fireball, the last fifty years or so. Basically, ball lightning
the proper conditions, making it a frequent
however—basically a large, brightly lit meteor is a sphere of static electricity that has the ability
explanation for many a mysterious "bright light
observed at close range—is a better candidate, to glow intensely for several minutes at a time
in the sky." Further, it has been my experience
especially as they can be very bright, last several and, when seen in broad daylight, can even take
that most people are unaware of Venus' potential
seconds, appear to split into smaller pieces, and on a fluid silvery-like sheen that can be easily
luminosity and so are often surprised by just
even abruptly disappear from sight as though it mistaken for metal, giving them a "disk-like"
how bright it can sometimes appear, so for those
were "zooming away at great speed" as many appearance. Additionally, though usually seen to
already predisposed towards accepting any
UFO witnesses describe. I'd imagine seeing a move randomly, sometimes the discharge is
unusual light in the sky as a potential close
fireball head-on would be particularly described as being attracted to a certain object-
encounter, Venus makes an especially good
impressive as it would appear to be an extremely normally an aircraft-giving these orbs the
candidate for being a UFO. This is especially
bright and slow moving object that suddenly appearance of "following" a plane and even
true when it is seen low on the horizon from a
vanishes from view, much like a UFO frequently matching it in terms of speed and maneuvers
moving automobile (when it can appear to be
does. They are not, however, an adequate (thereby giving it the impression of being under
following), or on a partly cloudy night when it
explanation for an object observed to make intelligent control). Commonly described as
will seem to abruptly appear and disappear as
abrupt course changes in mid-flight, change spherical, ovoid, teardrop, or rod-like in shape,
fast moving clouds obscure it from view.
color (or show multiple colors) or that last more and with colors that vary from red to yellow
Additionally, it can be extremely difficult to
than a few seconds, and as such they probably (though other colors have been observed) it's not
convince people that the bright light in the sky
constitute only a very tiny fraction of all UFO difficult to see how they could easily be
they saw "chasing them" was merely sunlight
reports. mistaken for an unnatural object, making ball
reflecting off a nearby planet, largely because of
lightning a perfectly adequate explanation for
the natural human reluctance to admit error as
Lenticular clouds: Technically known as some of the more erratic lights seen in the sky—
well as the trauma such an experience can
altocumulus standing lenticularis, lenticular
induce.
clouds are stationary lens-shaped clouds that THE ‘X’ ZONE BROADCAST NETWORK
Unfortunately, this explanation has
form at high altitudes, normally where stable www.XZBN.net
permitted many in the skeptical community to
moist air flows over a mountain or a range of “Searching for Answers, Demanding the
use Venus as a convenient "catch all"
mountains. Normally these air currents form Truth.” www.XZBN.net