UFO? Cloud?? or Other?

I was talking to a colleague recently about strange UFO sightings in general. I was shown some photos he took while driving home from work one evening, about 7pm, SB on the I-405 freeway near Seattle just southeast of Lake Washington. The photos were taken about a month or two ago using an i-phone 5.

I have tried to debunk them as something from inside the car reflecting on the inside of the windshield, possibly some sort of suction cup that may have made an imprint as such. To the best of my knowledge I have not been able to make sense of this anomaly. If it was one picture I could say maybe a reflection, but all three pictures show the same thing as the vehicle is approaching.

He mentioned that once he approached the "cloud", while looking straight up, everything blended in and the ring could not be seen. A couple of things I would like to point out are, if you notice the sides of the ring have a dot on either side. I thought this could be attributed to the rain (raindrops on the windshield), but the windshield wipers were going and all three pictures show this. Also, in the middle of the ring it looks like a triangle, but this could be the clouds behind the object. If someone has some better skills at enhancing the photo(s) for a better look, please do so.

The first 3 photos are in raw format and have not been altered. The last photo has been enhanced with Gimp. The color inversion, brightness, contrast and sharpness have been changed so that the object can be see better.

Please let me know what you guys think.

a reply to: JDJ333


Or.......rain drop.

I'm guessing there is a sticky ring caused by something on the windshield. It probably isn't noticeable when it is dry out. It distorts the clouds somehow. I had something like that, but it was only partial, on my windshield after they put a new windshield in. I think it was from the suction cups they used to put it in.

A ring can possibly form in the clouds also, but I would check the windshield first. I don't think it is a big drop spatter if the car was moving. It could have hit just before the picture was taken if that was the case, but it would almost instantaneously have stretched while moving. If the car was still, it could be the case.

Maybe its the beginning of the Body Snatchers. The one where the spores first arrived during a rain storm?

Then they grow into life sucking pods and ate everyone up.

If there are little funny flowers growing on everything tomorrow, be verrry afraid.

Interesting...

A couple of questions - did your friend take the pictures because he saw something weird in the sky?
Also, is he the kind to play tricks on you? If the answer to the former is "yes" and the latter is "no," that makes it more interesting. There are such things as "smoke rings" as was posted in another thread a short while ago, so a third question is whether or not there is a factory or other place where a smoke ring might occur.

Thanks for sharing! I love a good mystery...

- AB

Nice pics. If it were a mark on the window it wouldn't get larger with each picture. It would stay the same size while the approaching scenery in the forefront got bigger. Interesting.

Seems like every time you look at something it looks different. Maybe it is a huge condom.

We see these in the Midwest often. IMO, It's a Funnel Cloud. The ring is caused by compression of the moisture surrounding the vortex. Looks a bit like the CBS network logo doesn't it?
-cwm

originally posted by: StoutBroux
Nice pics. If it were a mark on the window it wouldn't get larger with each picture. It would stay the same size while the approaching scenery in the forefront got bigger. Interesting.

That's what happens when you zoom in.

hahahaha gps suction cups are invading

jdj333y to: mark1167

That's initially what I thought. I looked closer and the first picture shows the wiper in motion in either an up swipe or park position. and that would also have to be a huge rain drop. Maybe, It just looks odd.

originally posted by: rickymouse
I'm guessing there is a sticky ring caused by something on the windshield. It probably isn't noticeable when it is dry out. It distorts the clouds somehow. I had something like that, but it was only partial, on my windshield after they put a new windshield in. I think it was from the suction cups they used to put it in.

A ring can possibly form in the clouds also, but I would check the windshield first. I don't think it is a big drop spatter if the car was moving. It could have hit just before the picture was taken if that was the case, but it would almost instantaneously have stretched while moving. If the car was still, it could be the case.

It's funny you say that, its the first thing I asked him. I drilled him pretty good. I took greater interest in the photos after he said that the object was larger the closer he got. I trust this person's word 100%.

a reply to: JDJ333

the windshield wipers were going and all three pictures show this.

Can only see the wipers in the first shot.

The first 3 photos are in raw format and have not been altered.

Why does the first image have black borders on the sides?
Why does the third image have different dimensions from the other two?
Why do none of the images match the image size of an iPhone 5 camera?
Why do they all have an aspect ratio (7:4) different from the aspect ratio from an iPhone 5 camera (4:3)?

Why are the other cars in the same location in all of the images? Note the reflections/marks on the barrier.

He mentioned that something caught his attention enough to snap a photo. No, he is not a trickster. The ring is over residential and the opposite side of the freeway is 50 yards from Lake Washington.

a reply to: Phage

It appears that the traffic in front of him is already stopped and he is approaching at probably close to the speed limit. The traffic on the opposite side is moving faster. The glare on the wet barrier is a reflection of brake lights in front of his vehicle. The oncoming headlights appear to be casting a glare to the camera. If you notice the headlight do not create that glare when they are distant and not as bright.

The aspect ratio changes when you hold most phones sideways for pics versus up and down. I am not certain what aspect ratio the i-phone 5 changes to. I have an HTC and it does the same thing.

The photos were messaged to my phone and then transferred to my computer, i am not certain what program, whether his phone or my computer added the black border on the side or perhaps changed the aspect ratio. I downloaded GIMP to tear these photos apart and I came up empty.

Thanks for the good questions.

a reply to: JDJ333

The traffic on the opposite side is moving faster. The glare on the wet barrier is a reflection of brake lights in front of his vehicle.

And the traffic on the opposite site is lined up with the marks and reflections of tail lights on the barricade in the same way in each image.

The aspect ratio changes when you hold most phones sideways for pics versus up and down.

No, It's always the same, 4:3 (or 3:4). It doesn't change to 7:4.

The image has been altered. It's a single image that has been progressively zoomed in. You've been had.

www.sbi-guru.com...
www.gpsmagazine.com...

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: JDJ333

The traffic on the opposite side is moving faster. The glare on the wet barrier is a reflection of brake lights in front of his vehicle.

And the traffic on the opposite site is lined up with the marks/reflections on the barricade in the same way in each image.

The aspect ratio changes when you hold most phones sideways for pics versus up and down.

No, It's always the same, 4:3 (or 3:4). It doesn't change to 7:4.

The image has been altered. It's a single image that has been progressively zoomed in. You've been had.

I don't believe the photos were altered. Perhaps other than what program saves them may have changed the aspect ratio, I haven't a clue. I know the pictures were taken from a moving vehicle approaching vehicles that are stopped or near a complete stop and with oncoming traffic that is probably moving near the speed limit. I wasn't looking at the traffic as much as I was trying to figure out the cloud.

a reply to: JDJ333

Perhaps other than what program saves them may have changed the aspect ratio, I haven't a clue.

Saying "raw format" means something.

I wasn't looking at the traffic as much as I was trying to figure out the cloud.

Now look at the traffic. Carefully.
It's all the same image.

There's only a single photo here. The second and third are blown up crops of the same photo. The resolution is lower on the these compared to the first. Flaring from the car lights is identical in all three. If the camera car was moving there would be some subtle changes in flares and positioning of the various elements in the scene. There are none. After comparing all three images in a photo processing program I'd say the evidence (or lack of) is clear. The obvious explanation of the 'ufo' is a circular mark on the windscreen.

WG3

Yup, there is only one photo, zoomed and cropped.