Welcome to.... WTH IS THAT!

a reply to: circuitsports


Did you actually see them in the sky when you took the picture, or did you notice them on the image only after you took the picture. If it's the latter, Then I'd say those are internal camera reflections from light poles that might be there -- or maybe the lights on the underside of the gas pump canopy -- but are just out of frame.

Where exactly was this?

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

There isn't a lot of light in that area. It's right near the Blythe airport. That sign is most of the light, except one or two streetlights by the XPO and at the top of the ramp.

a reply to: Zaphod58


It's in Indio CA, not Blythe (it says "Welcome to Indio" on the sign"). The OP said he was on his way to Blythe.

Here is an image from Google Street view. As I mentioned above, these lights could be internal cameral reflections from the lights under the gas pump canopies -- either the main one or that smaller one under the sign (it could be either depending on your vantage point when you took the picture)

Google Street View, 43401 Monroe St, Indio, CA 92201


Screen Shot from Google Street View:



Link to Full-size screen shot image

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

My bad, there's another one that looks just like it at Blythe. Still not far off with my description. Been to that one a few times too. Not very well lit other than the sign. They both suck for more than getting something to snack on.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

There isn't a lot of light in that area. It's right near the Blythe airport. That sign is most of the light, except one or two streetlights by the XPO and at the top of the ramp.

Well, that's not exactly the case. You can go online and see images of the station itself, and the canopy above the pumps is blasting out light like crazy. If someone turned their back to the pumps to photograph the sign, it could be picked up as a reflection. And what about the curved line in the brightened image?

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

My bad, there's another one that looks just like it at Blythe. Still not far off with my description. Been to that one a few times too. Not very well lit other than the sign.

The lights under the gas pump canopies are bright.

His camera would have been pointing upwards and those lights on the underside of the canopy would be quite visible. Even out of frame, they could produce an internal reflection.

Here. I enhanced it, pixels and all:

I found this image that I linked below on Google Maps (uploaded by a user, and uploaded just this month, I might add) that is similar -- but just slightly different that he OP's image (different location of the "objects" relative to the sign). This image below shows quite clearly that the "objects" are reflections from the canopy light.

As I said, the canopy lights need not be in the frame to create a reflection, even though in this other example they are.

Eerily similar BUT DIFFERENT image, exact same location


Screenshot of image user-uploaded to Google Maps (I can't figure out how to save the image file, hence the screenshot...sorry). The seventh light (in both this image and the OP's) I think is from one of the lights on the sign pole (remember, it would be reversed).


Link to full-sized screenshot

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

looking at the last image you posted on the right, it is pretty obvious to me that what we are looking at is a reflexion of the ceiling lights from the station under.

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People

The seventh light (in both this image and the OP's) I think is from one of the lights on the sign pole (remember, it would be reversed).

Brilliant work Soylent.




without this the earlier explanation that it could be these types of lights sounded very reasonable but when show pics from this angle its just about explains the pic in question.

originally posted by: Blue Shift
My guess is that it's lens flares from the lights of the gas station.

Although the curved line that runs through the sign looks a lot like a reflection.

Good call...and nice contrasting here

originally posted by: Skywatcher2011
Good call...and nice contrasting here

Sometimes we get crap on this website for being evil debunkers, but some of us have seen these kinds of photos for years and can fairly quickly identify what the potential flaws are. Reflections, blurred bugs or birds, obvious computer fakes, and so on. It helps us quickly weed through the nonsense, but it's kind of depressing that we are so infrequently presented with something that could actually be the "real deal."

Oh, well, I guess if we did it would be front page news already.

a reply to: Soylent Green Is People
Solyent takes the human flavored cake on this one! Great job!