1880 very descriptive UFO sighting

reply to post by Silver Star


But how do you explain that the witness describes the light to be a flat phosphorescent layer on the surface of the sea? If it was light coming from the depths of the sea, it would look totally different. Things like light rays and a bright (under water) light source, which they had perfect knowledge of back then, are totally missing from the report.

[edit on 5-9-2010 by -PLB-]

reply to post by -PLB-


If it was a naturally occouring event, all be it, 600' wide,
would it have kept pace with the boat for 20 minutes as described??

I'm going to call it unidentified..

I don't think anyone has adequatley identified it as anything..

reply to post by CynicalM


There are enough naturally occurring phenomena that can keep pace with a ship. Wind, current, fish, maybe even the displacement of water caused by the ship itself. It is ok that you call it unidentified, but it seems to me the goal of a forum like this is to find a reasonable explanation. What do you think is the most reasonable explanations so far?

Originally posted by -PLB-
But how do you explain that the witness describes the light to be a flat phosphorescent layer on the surface of the sea?

The witnesses statement "The phosphorescent gleam seemed to glide along flat on the surface of the sea" is obviously open to different interpretations.

The fact that it seemed to glide along the surface, that it 'suddenly' appeared and that it went through a full rotation every 12 seconds (remarkable considering its size), would in my opinion suggest a phenomena at least related to UFO's.

reply to post by -PLB-


I'm doing some off and on digging, as time permits, and bioluminscent Marine dinoflagellates seem interesting as a theory. Or a similar oceanic lifeform.

reply to post by -PLB-

What do you think is the most reasonable explanations so far?

Honestly? No where near enough information to say..

The description is vague but considering the year thats not unexpected..

Too hard to call natural with the evidence provided..

I'll still called unidentified...And that "doesn't" mean a UFO as such...

reply to post by Silver Star


I don't think it is that much open for interpretation, as he describes it in even greater detail as shining a flash light from a rowboat horizontally along the surface of the water. That really excludes the light coming from above or below.

Originally posted by CynicalM
This "natuarally occuring phenomena" has never been photographed but we are supposed to believe its real because it's been "well documented"??

It has been photographed, you are just looking for the wrong thing. Chadwickus already provided photos but no one realized it, because of the name "marine phosphorescence wheel" or "wheels of Poseidon" is a misnomer. They are not actually wheels or even circles. They are actually just individual waves, however the movement of the ocean and the ship through it creates the impression to the human eye that it is a wheel with spokes.

As to why the phenomenon seemed to be keeping up with the ship, it is because the ship itself is creating the phenomenon. As the ship passes through the water, the invertebrates that cause the luminescence are caught in the wake and begin to glow. As long as the ship is passing through the animals, it will appear their glow is keeping pace with the ship.

Interestingly enough, the "wheels of poseidon" phenomenon seems localized to the Indian Ocean. Notice in the article where the sighting took place...

Originally posted by RiotComing
Seems like the paid debunkers have an excuse for everything - including the 19th Century sightings.

What utter closed-minded idiocy. Anyone who doesn't share your religion is a paid-debunker. This is your answer to everything. You contribute nothing to the forum, just closed-minded whining that disagreement is "paid disinformation". Prove it. Provide a single shred of evidence that anyone here is a "paid debunker".

Originally posted by RiotComing
We have solid evidence of UFOs in our past, as shown on ancient cave paintings, the Egyptians, the work of Klaus Dona and his artifacts from unknown civilisations, there's that strange painting from around 1600 that looks just like the Sputnik satellite, there are numerous examples in medieval art, the Australian aborigines, Africa.. all over the world.

Of course, if you did any sort of research, archaeological, historical, anthropological, you would see there is a better, alternative explanation for these things, most often supported by more evidence than your simplistic modern perception. Of course, all those historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, folklorists and indigenous peoples who disagree with you are all "paid debunkers" aren't they?

Pathetic. You are the worst sort of troll and should have been banned a long time ago. The only person spreading disinformation here is you.

Here's a link to an 1869 report from Lancaster, PA about something that would be called a UFO today. Back then, of course, before there were even airplanes, they had no idea what to call it. I doubt that most people would even have had a concept of aliens from other planets coming to earth for a visit, so they just chalked these kinds of sightings up to something that was totally unknown and couldn't be explained.




[edit on 5-9-2010 by witness63]

In regards to the luminescent "spoke wheels" witnessed by boat passengers,
this is an important link between electric & magnetic stimulation and/or suppression of bio-luminescent glow of marine species.

LINK:
Exploring the effect of electromagnetic fields on dinoflagellate bioluminescence

If this is the mechanism, the question remains: what is the source of energy powering those electromagnetic fields?

Then again, it could just be mechanical motion of the waves stimulating bio-luminescence, as DoomsdayRex pointed out.


[edit on 5-9-2010 by ATS4dummies]

Originally posted by witness63
Back then, of course, before there were even airplanes, they had no idea what to call it.

They called them airships. The first airship was flown by Solomon Andrews in Perth Amboy, NJ in 1863.

Originally posted by witness63
I doubt that most people would even have had a concept of aliens from other planets coming to earth for a visit, so they just chalked these kinds of sightings up to something that was totally unknown and couldn't be explained.

Yes, it is interesting that these early UFOs sightings, the Mystery Airships, conformed to the limits of the witnesses imaginations. They were not beyond what the witness thought to be possible. Rare was it that aliens were ever blamed, most often the culprits were thought to eccentric inventors. Thomas Edison had to issue a statement that he was not behind the airships.

Originally posted by witness63

Of course, the sighting linked above is a bit different. Though I do find it interesting that they describe it as silver color with the sun glowing off of it.

Also notice they mention swamp-gas in the article, way back in the mid 1800s...

[edit on 5-9-2010 by DoomsdayRex]

reply to post by virraszto


Really interesting sources, could you tell us where you obtained them?

Links to sources etc, please.

Originally posted by CynicalM
reply to post by Chadwickus

 

lol, OK..

Can you show me proof of these marine phosphorescent wheels that apparently exist please??

Can you show me proof of these wheel shaped UFO's that apparently exist please??

Surely if they exist, there is a picture of it somewhere...

And no, anecdotal evidence - as you refuse to accept it - is not acceptable.

reply to post by virraszto


Star and flag, by the by. I love these pre-modern cases. Though they are almost forgotten in the folklore, they provide valuable insight into the nature of the phenomenon, though I suspect it is more psychological and physical.

reply to post by badw0lf


But, the testimony in the opening article is also anecdotal evidence. So if you do not accept anecdotal evidence, you also do not accept the witness report from the opening article.

Does that mean that you do not believe such phenomena exist at all?

The Glowing Algae has been known for a long time, The incredible glowing Algae

I am looking for the images I saw years ago taken from orbit of the sea Glowing in the Sea of Japan, I cant seem to find that report.

I did find this however Sea's eerie glow seen from Space

Several more reports

Here

Here

Puzzle 23

Only recently with the coming of Satellite technology has the extent of the Algae been studied in depth, reports of glowing sea's go back centuries, maybe even further.

While it can be one explanation, it does not fit with some accounts, there is a huge interest recently on USO's a lot of which can not be explained by glowing Algae.

The story in the OP however would fit if the Algae was covering a large area, some of the links show that these blooms can be massive, over 250 miles in some cases.

Nothing will ever be accomplished if the arguments keep taking over threads.

UFO's exist I am certain of it, I am certain there are secret craft that roam our skies, some of them however go way beyond my wildest imagination.

ET controlled UFO's exist, nothing could ever come close to convincing me otherwise, not in a Million years, there are too many people who come out of the woodwork with all the answers, yet they have never witnessed anything, they always claim people are mistaken, or have a problem with their sight.

As long as I know what I saw that can never be taken away, same applies to everyone else, I kind of pity some people who's minds are closed off to an extent they can never fathom we here on this Planet know nothing of what is beyond.

Once we get past our own self importance, it opens doors to the fact we really do know nothing but our own little part of a Planet in a Solar System, in a Galaxy, in a Universe we are not even close to understanding.

What do we really know outside of the theories of a few Scientists? as each day goes by, those theories are beginning to fall, the more that happens maybe people will start to put those books down, and stop taking those theories as the word of some God like super mind, who could never be wrong.

Originally posted by azzllinUFO's exist I am certain of it, I am certain there are secret craft that roam our skies, some of them however go way beyond my wildest imagination.

ET controlled UFO's exist, nothing could ever come close to convincing me otherwise, not in a Million years, there are too many people who come out of the woodwork with all the answers, yet they have never witnessed anything, they always claim people are mistaken, or have a problem with their sight.

As long as I know what I saw that can never be taken away, same applies to everyone else, I kind of pity some people who's minds are closed off to an extent they can never fathom we here on this Planet know nothing of what is beyond.

It seems to me that you should keep an open mind for any explanation. Also the very earthy ones that may not be really interesting at all. In most cases those explanations make most sense. What you say here sounds like a case of a very closed mind, as you will not change your mind whatever evidence is presented.

Originally posted by CynicalM
If it was a naturally occouring event, all be it, 600' wide,
would it have kept pace with the boat for 20 minutes as described??

From the article posted by our friend Azzllin...

When Miller and his colleagues amplified the signal, a bright structure that followed the sea surface currents popped out. The structure spanned 15,400 square kilometres - an area the size of Connecticut, and far larger than previously estimated by sailors. What's more, it lasted for three consecutive nights.

It's crazy how angry people are getting about this UFO / USO issue that was recorded in the 1800s..
The real facts are that we DO NOT know if they were in fact "marine phosphorescence wheels", Chinese lanterns, swamp gas, UFOs or spaghetti monsters...
All we know is what the rather old articles state and from there discuss what it MAY or MAY NOT be...
The truth of the matter is not one of us can properly identify what was seen back then we can only theorize and speculate.
Too much anger between ATS members not enough civil discussion about what I originally considered a fascinating subject.