Commercial Pilot Captures Unknown Objects on Photograph - Sub-sun? Reflections?

Here's the guy testimony:

I take many photos of interesting and beautiful scenery as my work load/duties permit.
I took the attached photo some time in March(2012)while flying over a portion of the Grand Canyon at approx 39,000 feet. The lights in the upper right of the photo were not noticed until some time later after I had time to look over all the photos that I had taken during that tour.
I do not claim that the lights are UFOs, but I have used my BlackBerry cell phones camera for years and I know that the lights are not a reflection
Again, I did not even notice them when I took the photo. Just though MUFON might like to have the photo/information. (Im having some computer skill issues with attaching the photo. If the photo does not come through, I can try to attach it again).

Source: MUFON CMS
Photo Source: MUFON

Unfortunately, as always, seems like that MUFON CMS system removed all the EXIF datas, so not much is expected from there...

At first, I thought that it could be a classic misidentification of sub-suns, but I never saw before such several optics phenomena in a single photo.
Could it be reflections in the window? The guy stated that it's not the case, but who knows...

Thoughts?

reply to post by elevenaugust


I'm in support of window reflection.
While potentially true the witness claims to have used Blackberry on regular occasion to take photos and never experienced this before, taking pictures with a blackberry phone does not an experienced expert witness photographer make. The guy is not a professional photographer, so, even though he has not had this effect before, as he claims, his absence of experience does not make him an expert in regard to photography.
That he is not a serious and experienced photographer is backed up by his admission to using a camera phone whereas if he were serious about this hobby of snapping shots, especially on a pilot's salary, he'd have some decent kit on board for taking some much better photos.

Further indication that this is simply window reflection is based from the testimony of the pilot himself, entering that he is a trained pilot as part of the testimony to giving him credibility as a supposedly trained and competently aware observer, yet, he did not see this with his own eyes.

His phone hasn't been hacked or modified to take IR or UV photos, otherwise the witness testimony would have said so, so, this isn't a photo of something that would show up in a photo yet not be visible to the human eye.

Thus, this is most likely window reflection not seen by the pilot simply because his eyes were not in the same position and angle as he held the phone to take the photo.

reply to post by elevenaugust

The lights in the upper right of the photo were not noticed until some time later after I had time to look over all the photos that I had taken during that tour.

Given that piece of information I would have to go with the reflection theory , if he had seen the objects then taken a picture of them it could of been interesting but as it is he saw nothing .

Looks like reflections, but even if it was flying craft my first suspicions of origin would be US Gov black ops or such. Not aliens. I can never look at a UFO photo again and think aliens, because of the possible secret technologies that exist, and because of photo shop. The intrigue is all but completely left the subject of UFO pictures, for me.

reply to post by binkbonk

Originally posted by binkbonk

Looks like reflections, but even if it was flying craft my first suspicions of origin would be US Gov black ops or such. [color=C1FFA6]Not aliens. I can never look at a UFO photo again and think aliens,......

When taking into consideration that you are the only person to even mention aliens, I cannot believe this↑ statement of yours.

reply to post by BrokenCircles

Good point. I'll rephrase. I can never think 'yes, it's probably aliens!' No, I would be more inclined to think, 'no it's not aliens'. So yes, you are right, I am thinking 'aliens', but just that it's not aliens.

Definitely a reflection. By simply adjusting the brightness and contrast more of the reflected object becomes visible.

I support the idea of reflection. Great picture though, but I still say reflection.

Seems like reflections, four points of light doubled up, plus a further softer image below.

Possible sunlight caught in cockpit window "crazing".

Older aircraft do have this problem. It is caused by outside abrasion (wind/airflow/sun) and washing etc.

Reflection

Actually, come to think about it, it's a reflection from the pilots overhead panel on the aircraft.

reply to post by CaptainBeno


Yes......I'll go further.

Could be, looks a LOT like a plastic cup, catching some sunlight, and reflecting in the window (the inner pane).

Or, a plastic water bottle....catching the light, and reflecting.

(Nowadays....well, for many years, actually.......we each get a full liter or liter-and-a-half of bottled water. The F/As love it, because that means we don't need to be "attended to" as frequently).

Something like.....THIS

Hahaha! Quite possibly right!

Originally posted by Druscilla
reply to post by elevenaugust

 

I'm in support of window reflection.
While potentially true the witness claims to have used Blackberry on regular occasion to take photos and never experienced this before, taking pictures with a blackberry phone does not an experienced expert witness photographer make. The guy is not a professional photographer, so, even though he has not had this effect before, as he claims, his absence of experience does not make him an expert in regard to photography.
That he is not a serious and experienced photographer is backed up by his admission to using a camera phone whereas if he were serious about this hobby of snapping shots, especially on a pilot's salary, he'd have some decent kit on board for taking some much better photos.

Further indication that this is simply window reflection is based from the testimony of the pilot himself, entering that he is a trained pilot as part of the testimony to giving him credibility as a supposedly trained and competently aware observer, yet, he did not see this with his own eyes.

His phone hasn't been hacked or modified to take IR or UV photos, otherwise the witness testimony would have said so, so, this isn't a photo of something that would show up in a photo yet not be visible to the human eye.

Thus, this is most likely window reflection not seen by the pilot simply because his eyes were not in the same position and angle as he held the phone to take the photo.

edit on 22-4-2012 by Druscilla because: (no reason given)

I would have to agree with this post, looks like a window relfection.

[SNIP]



Mod edit: Removed spam linking to personal blog. Please do not use ATS to advertise without permission.

my first inclination was hot air ballons, they are very frequent over the canyons and for good reason.

After looking at the photo with the idea of a reflection in my mind i might agree if i knew if the pilot was wearing a nice metal watch, looking at the picture with that in mind i think i almost make out the flat surface of the face of a watch within the formation...

anyone got a metal watch, a camera, a cockpit window, and low angle sun?

I have to agree with the window reflection theory.

Looks like the same thing reflected four times.

I have just rejoined ATS and unfortunately could not retrieve my old account, so got a new one. Saw this post and noticed that the pic was taken over the grand canyon, well I had a sighting on 4/21/12 at around 10pm. I got a pic and vid. The vid is not the greatest, so I am asking if anyone can enhance the vid somehow and get it better, the object was witnessed in the NW over glendale, arizona and stationary for 30 minutes before moving off to the West. I know it is hard to see but if you focus on the center of the screen you will see it, here is the link to the youtube video. I do not know how to post the pic or straight to the vid, I will send the original vid and the pic which to anyone who can help analyze both. www.youtube.com...

It looks a lot like chrome knobs reflected onto the glass to me.