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Mysterious Flying Object Identified
ktla. ^
| May 19, 2009
Posted on 05/19/2009 11:49:34 AM PDT by JoeProBono
PHOENIX -- A mysterious UFO-like sighting that created a stir in Arizona and New Mexico has been identified.
NASA officials say the flying orb spotted Monday was a giant research balloon, not an alien spacecraft.
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor says people were calling him about the object all afternoon.
Bill Stepp of NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas, says the flying object was a 4,000-pound NASA research balloon used to measure gamma ray emissions.
The balloon usually floats at 130,000 feet and can be seen for about 170 miles on a clear day.
One witness said the object looked like the gigantic bubble from the Wizard of Oz.
Some said the object appeared to be motionless in the sky.
TOPICS: UFO's; Weather; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: palestine; ufo; weatherballoons
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To: JoeProBono
It wasn’t a space monster from outer space? Amazing.
2
posted on
05/19/2009 11:51:57 AM PDT
by
mysterio
To: JoeProBono
3
posted on
05/19/2009 11:58:53 AM PDT
by
a fool in paradise
(If you like the Dept. of Motor Vehicles, the IRS, and the Post Office, you'll love govt Health Care)
To: JoeProBono
4
posted on
05/19/2009 11:58:53 AM PDT
by
DBrow
To: mysterio
This time it really was a balloon.
To: mysterio
Ooh I dunno
6
posted on
05/19/2009 11:59:37 AM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
Seen plenty of those things in NM, big deal.
To: JoeProBono
U.F.O. factory:
8
posted on
05/19/2009 12:00:13 PM PDT
by
a fool in paradise
(If you like the Dept. of Motor Vehicles, the IRS, and the Post Office, you'll love govt Health Care)
To: mysterio
Similar to what was found at Roswell in 1947. Only those balloons weren’t measuring gamma ray emissions, they were monitoring Soviet atomic tests.
9
posted on
05/19/2009 12:00:27 PM PDT
by
Signalman
To: JoeProBono
But the balloon was filled with swamp gas and powered by ball lightning...
To: JoeProBono
Bill Stepp of NASA's Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas, says the flying object was a 4,000-pound NASA research balloon used to measure gamma ray emissions.Obviously, the bubblemen from space have captured Bill Stepp's children, forcing him to feed us these obvious untruths.
11
posted on
05/19/2009 12:01:27 PM PDT
by
dead
To: a fool in paradise
12
posted on
05/19/2009 12:03:02 PM PDT
by
JoeProBono
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
To: JoeProBono
NASA officials say the flying orb spotted Monday was a giant research balloon, not an alien spacecraft. A giant research balloon, filled with swamp gas, and lit from behind by Venus.
13
posted on
05/19/2009 12:05:12 PM PDT
by
Alex Murphy
(Presbyterians often forget that John Knox had been a Sunday bowler.)
To: JoeProBono
Take me to your leader.
14
posted on
05/19/2009 12:05:37 PM PDT
by
a fool in paradise
(If you like the Dept. of Motor Vehicles, the IRS, and the Post Office, you'll love govt Health Care)
To: snarks_when_bored
But the balloon was filled with swamp gas and powered by ball lightning... BWA HAHAHA you beat me to it by seconds!
15
posted on
05/19/2009 12:05:59 PM PDT
by
Alex Murphy
(Presbyterians often forget that John Knox had been a Sunday bowler.)
To: JoeProBono
oh sure, a weather balloon...yeah that’s what they always say. that’s what they want you to believe. and then when you dismiss one as a “balloon”.....WHAM A BIG GIANT JABBA THE HUT ALIEN LANDS ON YOUR PORCH AND EATS YOUR CHEESEBURGER!!!! BE AFRAID!
okay, i’m better now.
16
posted on
05/19/2009 12:13:42 PM PDT
by
madamemayhem
(what would john wayne do?)
To: JoeProBono
I lived in Kaufman Tx way back... not far from this facility...I was flying at the time so I had access to the NOTAMs they would issue. They would launch around dawn when the winds were calm. When they launched the BIG ones (400ft dia) we’d trek on down there and watch ‘em .. Great sights ...
17
posted on
05/19/2009 12:20:43 PM PDT
by
Robe
(Rome did not create a great empire by talking, they did it by killing all those who opposed them)
To: JoeProBono
You’d think that, after all these years, the Government would be able to come up with something a bit more “entertaining” than “balloons”.
I mean, really, we spend trillions of dollars, and all these guys come up with is balloons?
Why not something exotic like an atmospheric anamoly as a result of the shuttle launch which resulted in a temporary refraction of gamma radiation - blue shifted and materialised - which gave then the appearance of a translucent spherical object.
Sounds like BS and it is - but at least its better than - UFO? = it is a Balloon!
18
posted on
05/19/2009 12:20:59 PM PDT
by
An.American.Expatriate
(Here's my strategy on the War against Terrorism: We win, they lose. - with apologies to R.R.)
To: An.American.Expatriate
Could they say it is a balloon because it is a balloon?
19
posted on
05/19/2009 12:33:00 PM PDT
by
pfflier
To: JoeProBono
See how easy it is to explain things when it IS NOT a UFO?
20
posted on
05/19/2009 12:40:12 PM PDT
by
Mr. K
(physically unabel to proofreed (<---oops))
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