Professional Photographer Snaps "UFO" over Yokota Air Base: May 2012 Annular Solar Eclipse

I have a friend here in Tokyo who claims to have captured potential UFO images during the May 2012 annular solar eclipse. He's a bit hesitant to post them but I have him convinced to share. Please bear with me as I try to gather the images. According to him, another photographer in Tokyo witnessed more. Here's his description:

"Hope you enjoyed the stellar light show yesterday. I know I did! But I also caught several images of some sort of fast-moving UFO thingy... Actually, I thought it was a piece of space debris but after enlarging all of the images taken, several people and I agree, the pix are not that of any conventional aircraft and definitely not a weather balloon! Waiting to hear what Fuji tv has to say about this imnages - if anything at all...
Please tell me I wasn't the only person to see this thing..."

And from another description from his Tokyo friend:

"I photoed this picture from on base. A friend,. who I was about to tell about the UFO, said they saw one over downtown Tokyo for a brief second before it disappeared into the clouds. I hadn't even gotten the chance to [ask] her her about my pictures..."




Full size image: www.pwspro.com...

The appearance looks like one of those strange "cloud ship"-clouds. Is that a fire-streak on the upper left side? Looks like something was burning up in the atmosphere, or is it some kind of contrail from the object?
Definitive looks interesting. Oh how I love the spelling check implanted in ATS now.

Trying to post the image in the original post. Soon as I can I will. Also, I may have up to 20 more to post, if the photographer is willing.

[edit]GOT IT[/edit]

That would be great! Is your friend knowing that you will put it on ATS? Maybe you can convince him with that.

Having multiple images opens the door to possible serious analysis, although it's perhaps too early to judge that with what's posted so far. And with all the pictures taken of it from Japan, some should show the same thing.

ufo? thats a ufo:


or that


when do people stop claiming to see ufos because of the shape is kinda like a ufo...i want to see moving, HQ "metal" objects, not some light effects or flashing lights in the dark...seriously - the ufology community should rethink some of their publications/education

I can't help but be optimistic that we're going to find out the truth soon. I really hope they are benevolent and are becoming more prominant to help tone our awareness and prevent wide spread panic. I also hope I'm not wrong and they're here to "take us over"!!
I'm staying optimistic about it until I have reason to be otherwise. The possibilities are endless and there is so much we can learn!

reply to post by verschickter


He did allow me to post with his name included. I will try to get high res images of his pics when he provides them. I post them here for your dissection, good or bad. There is no agenda here, just trying to post what we have. Take from it what you will. I hope that there are those who will analyze these to the best of their abilities and show what it is that we are viewing.

Here's a bit more information. I asked him what camera and settings he used to capture the images. He is looking into the exif info for this. What I do know is that he shot the images during the eclipse in Tokyo with a Nikon D3. Here's more of the dialogue:

Him: "Take a look at how this thing parted the clouds. Planes don't do that."

Me: "First I wondered if it was like a "sun dog", but the movement and trails look a bit like sonic impressions were trailing.
Wow!
May I share the image...minus your name if you wish?
Or, I can include your name..."

Him: "Sure. you can use my name.
I find it hard to believe this thing when straight over the frigging base! Then again, its not like the all-might US Air Force could've done a damned thing about it."

Him: "I never thought I would become one of those guys who says they saw a UFO. I mean... I've seen them before but without any sort of proof, its just a fascinating story. But I didn't even know what it was that I had photographed until I enlarged the image on Tuesday. Now the story just took on an element of realism - one which I can't simply dismiss as a possible something else..."

Me: "I am really wowed at the way the object looks as if it "punched" through the clouds and left a sort of "sonic" imprint. It's gonna take a while to process for me."

Him: "You should have seen how fast it was moving!
And there was no sound. At least, I didn't hear anything...
I'm lucky I got the shots that I did! between 15 and 20sec. this object was gone-gone!"

Me: "How fast do you think it was goin?"

Him: "Supersonic speed easy... maybe even hypersonic." "Object covered 10s of miles in mere seconds."

Dont forget to ask what camera he was using

settings and any other info would be helpfull

reply to post by Hessdalen


Wow.... I haven’t seen those videos before, very convincing aren’t they... It would be very difficult to debunk the photos posted by the OP, as it looks as though something solid is flying at high speed there.

reply to post by smartie


Nikon D3. He is looking into the EXIF. I will post when I have more information about that.

I too am looking forward to the EXIF data to help understand the possible speed and such of the object he has seen. I believe him as a man of honor and integrity. At least for me this is something worthy of looking into.

Anyone else have images of unidentified objects during this eclipse? It would be fun to compare.

I'd like to see all of the original 20 images without any cropping, etc.

"If" something came into the atmosphere from space I would expect to see what the largest photo shows, a tube of fire basically which is more likely to be either material from the object burning off or it's an ionization glow / contrail that just looks like fire due to the sun.

What's odd is how it stops so suddenly. Almost like the object slowed down enough to stop the effect very quickly which might indicate it's no meteor.

It is interesting but if we had the amateur UFO radar system up and running we could obtain data on the object which would greatly help to define what it is or isn't. The ufology groups really need to get behind that project and make it reality, it provides everything we're missing with just photos and witness statements.

Well, with what I've posted so far, what do you all think it might be? I, for one, am not sure yet. I'm waiting on more images. However, the clouds and the beam of light (flame?) are quite curious as are many things in this image.

And for those of you who question why I post here with this subject...well it's because I love this forum and the (sometimes) strong debates and (sometimes) professional objectiveness that occurs here. However, if the images show value and forward progress ceases here, I will attempt to persuade the photographer to provide his images to other agencies with arguably higher merit.

I guess I'm hoping ATS will be a bit of a "litmus test" in this situation.

Let's see what happens next.

What kind of Nikon D3 would be interesting.

The earlier models only support 18 raw pictures in fast shot mode. The later models can go up to much more.

D3 = 18 pictures
D3X = 5-7 pictures (CMOS megapixel is higher then other models, reducing picture count)
D3S = 48 pictures

But I guess this info will be revealed by exif data

reply to post by verschickter


I've asked him for copies of raw, uncropped, full res images. We'll see if he delivers. I'll ask what version D3.

If I may...

I did a test on your photo. As is.

I won't go so far as to accuse you of anything. I just wanted to point out to the other members here in the forum that whenever a photo is taken, the image is smooth. When something is added into an image file via manipulation of one sort or another, a box appears around the inserted imagery. An untouched photo would have no such framing occurring.

I'm confident you will share the exif data with us all however, and confirm your story, right?

reply to post by SoulVisions


I'll be more than happy to provide EXIF and more photos if/when he agrees.

Also, just found out he used a regular Nikon D3. I am awaiting more photos. It will be really cool to see what we will find on analysis.

That's cool. Yeah, when I ran the posted picture above through the gambit, I saw what I posted earlier. If it turns out to be nothing more than a file anomaly, all the better. But if anyone else would like to see it for themselves, take the OP photo, lower the brightness, and up the contrast. You won't get the results I show above so clearly but you will see where it's possible manipulation was carried out. Especially around the area of the sun/cloud solar flaring(think: light coming through window blinds magnifying effect)/ufo/debri.

The streak interests me more than anything else. I can show you all the shape of the object a little better if asked for it, but it's still pretty unclear anyway.

Looks cool, but I think it's just a contrail lit at an angle.

Contrails come and go depending on the properties of the atmosphere the plane of flying through. The first part really looks like a contrail, and the second part looks like it follows the first.