Anybody have any idea wha this could be?

I was just getting around to working on some images from a trip to New York a few months ago when I came accross this one. It was part of a series originally taken in raw format. I adjusted the colors and saved it as a jpeg for easy internet uploading and downloading. The image was taken on a tripod with a long exposure I don't recall anything out of the ordinary that night but I'm usually fidgeting with equipment during long exposures getting ready for the next shot.

It just seems a little weird to me. it looks like something raced across the horizon. I just cant figure out the light on the right hand side of the streak. Ive taken pictures before with star streaks, jet trails etc. I'm usually pretty good at establishing the merits of a photograph the only thing I can think is that it's a lens flare and it just happened to occur where a jet was overhead, But I'm very careful when shooting to avoid them. It also did not appear in the shot before or the shot after.

Ideas, Suggestions,? Also just for the record I'm not really into the whole alien thing so I'm sure there is nothing extra terrestrial about this image.
Could it be some sort of afterburner kicking in? Aviation enthusiasts?




BTW anyone know how to embed an image rather than posting a link?

It looks like a lens flair.

Because of the curve of the lens, without proper filter, and according to lighting conditions, in this case a long exposure time, light reflects off the lens causing a ghosting effect of light.

It looks like a Bolide to me.
Sometimes called a fireball, it’s basically a large falling star.

Thats what I though at first but the "flare" appears to be behind the statue. If it were a lens flare it would have to be in front of the statue and the streak clearly goes behind the statue at a distance.

A bolide, Now thats interesting. I just wish I had seen it personally as the image was being taken.

Adobe Photoshop CS3 Windows 2008:01:21 22:42:27
Any idea why this shows on the image metadata?

EDIT: Never mind, just noticed you said you adjusted the colors. My bad.

[edit on 21-1-2008 by daniel_g]

It actually does almost look like lens flare, but it does seem to go behind the statue.

If you were using a slow shutter speed for a long exposure, it might be a trail of an aircraft light... But then you would expect it to be repeated in the trail. Hmm, I'd go with the bolide idea.

It looks like a bolide to me too. The head may be exagerated by the clouds.

Bolides can be pretty neat to see. I’ve seen about ten or so, in all sorts of colors; one that was bright blue, one that was green and exploded in a shower of sparks. Each is unique based on size, speed, angle, composition, density, etc..
Here are some pictures from around the web of bolides:

wow thanks for posting those Bolide pics they are great. I've seen quite a lot of meteor showers but none like those. I'll have to keep looking. Very good point about the clouds refracting the light. I usually like to do city scapes with no clouds becasue of that very reason. They reflect the city light back down illuminating the whole image in a soft orangy glow. I'm just glad someone didnt say it was the millenium falcon turning on the warp engines.

It's a beautiful picture! I agree, it's probably just a small earthgrazer. May I ask when this was taken?


[edit on 22-1-2008 by hsur2112]

Hi All.

If you take a look at the metadata you'll see everything you need to know.

Taken on or before 02/10/2007 at 19.43 pm (in this case the metadata shows the date converted from the NEF raw image)
with a Nikon D100.

The camera is sitting at ISO 200 (which is rather low for a night shot on auto so its probably a manual setup).

Used at F6.3 for 3 seconds exposure with -0.3 exposure compensation.
Focal Length 105mm (157 35mm compensated) spot metered.

The D100 is an old 6mp DSLR model released in 2002. Its noise good up to about ISO 800. (maybe 1000 for prints)

As you can see from the shot the sensor needs cleaned since there is visible dust on it at f6.3 and the camera was mounted on a tripod.

All you need really.

And yup, i would concur that the odd's point to a small bolide with the apparent bloom coming from the cloud's scattering the point light.

Nice Pic too BTW!

Cheers.



[edit on 22-1-2008 by Absence of Self]

Absense is for the most part correct except the date was 10-02-07 not 02-10-07. I converted it last night from a raw image and did minor corrections. Overall I didnt want to mess with the image and be accused of faking a photo thus the reason for leaving the sensor dust. THanks for the compliments on the pic I just wish I could have been in a position to get the lady's face. But if I had then I wouldn't have gotten the Bolide or possibly an alien spacecraft traversing through a dimensional portal. Absense you are alos correct that it was a manual setup. Low ISO = Low noise




[edit on 22-1-2008 by photobug]

Just doing a little checking. October - December 2007 was a somewhat active period for meteor showers, the draconids, geminids and orinids.

Meteors are usually no larger than a grain of sand. Even one the size of a small pebble can create a beautiful light show.

[edit on 22-1-2008 by hsur2112]

[edit on 22-1-2008 by hsur2112]

thanks for checking hsur. BTW I love your avatar. So I guess we all agree that it was some sort of bolide or meteor. Very cool, I'm going to have to start paying more attention when I am shooting at night. Sometimes it's easy to loose track of the big picture.



[edit on 22-1-2008 by photobug]

reply to post by hsur2112


I agree the picture and the colours are beautiful, i would love one like that from the front for my wall,

as for what it is i agree seems like a bolide, But who can be certain? wonderful picture again