Is this PROOF of alien life? Shock as mysterious UFO 'hovers above California navy base'

ALIEN hunters have been sent into a frenzy by these images appearing to show a UFO near an American Navy base.

US SECRETARY OF ENERGY MAKES SOME VERY INTERESTING COMMENTS ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF PARALLEL UNIVERSES

Let’s get a couple of things out of the way right up front. First, NASA needs help coming up with names for new space objects. The subject of this article is named OGLE, which is bad enough, but its full name is OGLE-2016-BLG-1190Lb, a string of letters and numbers that would be better in a password (secretly level: medium – needs some special characters). Have they run out of Greek and Roman gods? How about hiring the guy at a record company who names new bands? Second, although the subject of this article may be some new kind of mysterious planet, it’s probably not Planet X nor Nine nor Nibiru.

The object was first discovered in June 2016 by astronomers from the University of Warsaw working on the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment, which means they used gravitational microlensing to detect its presence as its gravity bent the light of its star (and used the discovering telescope to come up with the odd ogling name). Its presence 22.000 light years away was confirmed a few days later by scientists using NASA’s orbiting Spitzer telescope.

Spitzer space telescope

At this point, the discovery gets exciting enough to publish a paper about it. In the study submitted to the Astronomical Journal, lead author Y-H Ryu of the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute reveals that OGLE-2016-BLG-1190Lb is something to ogle at – its mass is 13 times that of Jupiter or 4,000 times Earth’s mass, making it one of the largest planets ever discovered … IF it’s a planet. That sort of mass usually indicates an object is a brown dwarf – a non-functioning star that is not performing hydrogen thermonuclear fusion. However, Ogle’s orbit is at a fairly close distance from its star where astronomers have long assumed that gravity would not allow it to exist – they even describe this area as a “brown dwarf desert.”

So what exactly is Ogle? Astronomers can’t decide (there’s nothing more exciting than a competition among astronomers – kind of a Dancing With The Stargazers) so they have to make do with the 2016 pictures and computer models until its three-year orbit puts it in front of its start to cause another microlensing event.

Artist’s interpretation of the Milky Way’s galactic bulge

If it’s indeed a giant exoplanet, it “is likely to be the first Spitzer microlensing planet in the Galactic bulge/bar.” ‘Galactic bulge’ – now there’s a good name for the space phenomenon that is the middle of the Milky Way (not to mention a great name for a band or a malady that affects aliens on long space flights with little opportunity for exercising. At the local astronomers betting parlor, the odds favor some sort of failed brown dwarf over giant exoplanet or some new form of orbiting space object. The bookie tells those wanting to place bets on Planet X to go for something with better odds, like the lottery.

{ http://mysteriousuniverse.org/ }

Astronomical event called “The Star of Bethlehem” graces the predawn sky on November 13, 2017

Get ready for the most exciting sky event of 2017! A truly fascinating event occurs on November 13th. "The Star of Bethlehem" graces the predawn sky.

They are the brightest celestial objects after the Sun and Moon. Venus and Jupiter are going to converge for a close jaw-dropping encounter. Astronomers refer to a close celestial pair-up like this as a conjunction.

What Was The Star of Bethlehem? Many Christians see the star as a miraculous sign to mark the birth of the Christ (or messiah). Some theologians claimed that the star fulfilled a prophecy, known as the Star Prophecy.

Astronomers have made several attempts to link the star to unusual astronomical events, such as a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, a comet or a supernova.

The truth is, we don't know the answer, and in fact, no one else does either, in spite of what you might hear. If there was a clear-cut answer to this question, everyone would already know the answer and wouldn't have to ask.

Some scholars say that the Star of Bethlehem must have been a supernatural event, not a natural occurrence of astronomy. Indeed, perhaps this is a mystery that modern science can never truly unravel.

  

{ http://ufosightingshotspot.blogspot.com/ }

Doughnut-Shaped UFO Floats Over A Famous Lake In Southwest China

Taiwanese salesman John Chen claimed he had captured a UFO in a doughnut shape on camera in southwest China.

The businessman said he snapped some scenic shots of the favourite tourist spot Lake Dian on November 1 after attending a trade show held in Yunnan Province.

Together with his sister-in-law, he was shocked to see a strange ring-shaped aerial thing when they were reviewing at one picture at home in Taipei.

The object appears to have a hole in the middle and ridged sides, similar to the shape of a classic doughnut.

In hope to find what the object could be, Mr Chen decided to look for a UFO expert.

Mr Chen happened to consult the leading British UFO researcher Philip Mantle about the strange thing in the photo. However, Mr Mantle could not explain it and called the incident an open verdict.

Mr Chen said that he did not see the strange thing the time as it was his wife’s sister who noticed it. He tried to share the photos with his colleagues, but they did not capture the same thing in the sky.

Mr Mantle said that he could not see any evidence that the pictures were tampered in any way, but admitted that the object could also be some airborne debris.

{ http://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

Watch Alleged U.S. Navy Footage Seemingly Shows A UFO That Defies Physics

An unidentified flying object that defied physics is claimed to be in a leaked U.S. Navy video footage, which has emerged after a former Area 51 insider shared about the encounter.

Several F-18 pilots are said to have outmaneuvered by extraordinary UFO during the terrifying encounter. Former U.S. national security chief Chris Mellon, who claimed to have spent time at Area 51 military base, said that U.S. Navy personnel aboard the USS Nimitz recorded the UFO on video during the seven-hour encounter.

Mr. Mellon claimed that he served for nearly 20 years in the U.S. federal government in several national security roles under the administrations of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

The former national security chief was reportedly on a committee with oversight of all special access programs in Department of Defense. He also said to have spent ten years on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Mr. Mellon is one of the ex-senior government insiders who has gone forward after joining former Blink 182 frontman Tom DeLonge’s alien truth-seeking organization To The Stars Academy.

Mr. Mellon, who also had accessed on classified projects at the highly-secretive military facility in Nevada, detailed the bizarre incident that said to take place off the San Diego coast in broad daylight.

Now, a video has surfaced, claiming to be the footage recorded in 2004. It has been released anonymously and recently doing the rounds on social media.

The clip shows a mysterious object hovering in the skies.

It seems to show one of the F-18’s crosshairs lining the UFO up, but the bizarre thing speeds out of sight.

Many UFO experts believe that the craft disappeared with supersonic speed.

UFOlogist Tyler said that it looks like legit F-18 footage, which has been corroborated by men that were in the incident.

{ http://www.latest-ufo-sightings.net/ }

Best Cases of Alien Abduction

Best Cases Alien Abduction

by Billy Booth

Dave and Les Jacobs / Getty Images

1961 BETTY AND BARNEY HILL ABDUCTION

Called the "flagship case" of alien abduction. A husband and wife (Betty and Barney Hill) taking a short vacation see a bright object in the evening. They are stopped on the road by aliens and become part of an abduction case for the ages. Regressive hypnosis plays a major role in unveiling a dark secret... a secret of alien abduction, and medical experimentation.

1967 THE BETTY ANDREASSON ABDUCTION

In South Ashburnham, Massachusetts on the night of January 25, 1967, one of the most celebrated cases of UFO abduction began. Betty Andreasson was working in her kitchen while her seven children, mother, and father were in the living room... suddenly a bright light invades the house. From the yard, alien creatures are seen hopping toward the house! One of the strangest abduction cases.

1967 ABDUCTION OF HERBERT SCHIRMER

As Patrolman Schirmer passed through the intersection of Highway 6 with Highway 63 on the outskirts of Ashland, he saw what appeared to be red lights on a large truck stopped a short way down Highway 63. He decided to turn around and check it out. He drove the short distance down 63 and stopped with his headlights shining on the object. According to Schirmer, the object was definitely not a truck. The red lights that he had seen were blinking through the oval portholes of a metallic, oval-shaped object.

1969 THE BUFF LEDGE CAMP ABDUCTION

Only seven and a half years after the Betty and Barney Hill story, the New England states would again host an alien abduction. Buff Ledge in Vermont would be the site of a visitation by four UFOs which would make revolutionary aerial maneuvers, Two counselors would suffer missing time, and seek professional help.

1973 PASCAGOULA, MISSISSIPPI ABDUCTION (PARKER, HICKSON)

Fifteen different people see a large, silver UFO fly over a housing project in St. Tammany Parish, New Orleans, Louisiana. Only a scant 24 hours later, Calvin Parker and Charles Hickson would unwillingly take a journey into the unknown... strange creatures with claw-like hands abduct them. J. Allen Hynek investigates.

1975 THE ABDUCTION OF SERGEANT CHARLES L. MOODY

Alamogordo, New Mexico would be the location of a UFO encounter involving Air Force Sergeant Charles L. Moody on August 13, 1975. Moody was in the desert observing a meteor shower at ab 1:15 A.M. when he saw a glowing, metallic, disk-shaped object falling toward the ground about 300 feet away.

1975 THE TRAVIS WALTON ABDUCTION

As seven bloggers began their journey home, they see a "luminous object, shaped like a flattened disc." All of the men agreed that Travis Walton, captivated by the sight, left the truck to get a closer look. A blue beam hits him, throwing him to the ground. He would vanish for five days, and soon begin telling his story of the inside of an extraterrestrial spacecraft.

1976 The Stanford, Kentucky Abductions

While America was still buzzing over the Travis Walton abduction, three women are abducted near Stanford, Kentucky. Heading for Hustonville on Highway 78, they suddenly see a "bright, red" object in the clear, night sky, turning a nice evening into a night of terror. Read about this in depth investigation here.

1976 The Allagash Abductions

The Allagash Waterway incident would involve multiple witnesses.

Four artists were enjoying a canoeing trip on the Allagash Waterway when their pleasant evening was turned into a nightmare... A nightmare of missing time and alien abduction. At first only missing time, and then forgetfulness. Finally a connection is made, and little by the details become known in this compelling case of alien abduction.

1976 The Dechmont Forest Abduction

Robert Taylor was sixty-one-years-old at the time that he had the most unusual encounter of his life. He had worked as a forester all of his adult life in the Dechmont woods located in Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland. On the morning of Friday, November 9, 1979, he and his red setter rounded a corner on a forest trail and saw an unbelievable sight, a UFO! The object appeared to be hovering just above the forest floor. It made no sound, and seemed to be motionless.

1985 The Whitley Strieber Abduction

Well known writer Whitley Strieber would be abducted by aliens while in his isolated cabin in upstate New York over the Christmas season of 1985.

He encountered 4 types of alien beings, which subjected him to medical tests.

1987 The Ilkley Moor Alien

A policeman named Philip Spencer claims to have taken a picture of an alien being. If this is true, it is one of only a few in existence. The scary Ilkley Moor in Yorkshire, England would hold the secret of the strange creature encountered one early morning.

Godfrey was frightened, but ran after the creature, taking one photograph. See it here. Through hypnosis, he would recall an odd flying object, and an alien abduction.

1988 Father & Son Abducted

John Salter Jr. and his son are abducted by benevolent aliens. One of the few cases in which alien abduction turned out to be a good thing. Medical experimentation has a happy ending, with improved health for both abductees.

1989 Linda Cortile-Napolitano Abduction

An extremely compelling case of alien abduction is that of Linda Napolitano. Napolitano has claimed that she was abducted by the so-called "greys," who floated her from a closed bedroom window into a hovering UFO. As time went by, several different eye witnesses came forward to substantiate her claims... Several bystanders, including a well known politician, actually see the incident.

1993 The Kelly Cahill Abduction

In August 1993, 27-year-old Kelly Cahill, her husband, and three children were driving home after a visit to a friend's house. Their routine journey would soon become a harrowing trip into an unknown world of strange beings that occupied space but were void of color as we know it. The Dandenong foothills, near Victoria, Australia would be forever linked to one of the strangest creatures in Ufological archives.

1997 Abduction in Wales

One of the weirdest cases reported to the Welsh Federation of Independent Ufologists is the multiple sighting of UFOs on the same night - except one family got too close for comfort and were apparently abducted. The strange and disturbing events began to unfold when for several nights an elderly man living in Little Orme, Conwy, was troubled by what he called "frightening" beams of light over the Great Orme.

Watch Now: 10 Disturbing Alien Abductions

{https://www.thoughtco.com/ }

A Look at the Triangle UFOs

Look at the Triangle UFOs

by Billy Booth

Interesting UFO Triangle from Serbia

THE FLYING SAUCERS

For many years now, UFOs have more than not been identified as "flying saucers," or disc-shaped objects. Of course, there were other unknown flying object reports of odd-shaped vehicles of many different descriptions, but these were the exception and not the rule.

In the last 30 years or so, the triangle shape has become a topic of much discussion. Often reported as flying low and running silent, with several lights on the bottom, these strange objects have become an enigma in UFO circles.

Sightings of these objects often come in waves, and they are reported as being able to go from a crawl to a high-speed departure in a matter of seconds.

A GOVERNMENT PROJECT?

Many feel that the triangle UFO may be a top-secret government craft, still in the experimental stage, and more than likely designed with military implications. Some researchers feel that they are the next step in the Stealth series of craft, capable of flying low and making their exit without being detected by enemy radar. This type of craft would be indispensable for enemy surveillance, especially with weapon capabilities.

I will agree that a good portion of triangle UFO sightings may be attributed to a government manufactured craft, but this cannot account for all of them. The man on the street cannot know just how advanced governmental or military technological prowess may be, but reports of the flight characteristics of the triangles seem to surpass even our most liberal estimates of what modern technology is capable of.

REPORTS INCREASING

Although the triangle craft seem to be a dark, mysterious entity, according to researcher and author, Clyde Lewis, triangle sightings in the United Kingdom are almost an everyday occurrence. He states in his article, "Mystery of the Black Triangles," there have been approximately 4,000 reports of the triangles since 1990 in the UK alone.

There have also been waves of triangle sightings in Belgium, France, Holland and Germany, beginning with the most celebrated wave of all, the 1989-1990 triangle wave over Belgium.

In this particular case, in addition to triangle sightings, other anomalous events took place. As some of the triangles were picked up by military radar, jets would be scrambled to get a close look at exactly what was invading Belgian airspace. However, although the jet fighters could briefly lock in on the mysterious UFOs, when their weapons were set to fire, their electrical systems would malfunction, and soon the triangles were out of range.

One of the most famous UFO pictures ever taken. The photographer, to my knowledge, still remains unnamed. Taken on an April night during a well known "wave ...

ANOMALOUS EFFECT

A second unusual fact during the Belgian wave was the inability of eyewitnesses to capture the objects on film. There are a couple of fairly decent, distant videos of them, and finally, one good photograph was taken in April 1990 in the city of Petit-Rechain.

This photograph clearly shows a triangle-shaped object with red lights on the belly.

There were approximately 1,000 sightings of the Belgian triangle, and many of these were reported by ground observers who could clearly see the craft and took what they felt would be a good, clear picture. However, when their film was developed, the image was blurry and had no probative value.

This fact came to the attention of August Meessen, a physics professor, who was employed by the Catholic University at Louvin.

He developed a theory that the photographic failures were caused by infrared light. He proved his theory through scientific experiments. What this actually means is open to debate, but it appears from witness statements, that the farther away the triangle was from the photographer, the better chance to get a good image.

The sightings over Belgium were investigated, and there was no doubt that unknown, triangular-shaped objects moved over the country for about two years. They were caught on radar, seen by pilots, and witnessed by a general cross-section of the public, including policemen.

No explanation could be given, except to say that something very unusual occurred in the Belgian skies.

This is one of the best examples of the triangle UFOs, but in future articles, I will detail other special cases of these strange, low-flying craft.

{ https://www.thoughtco.com/ }

UFO Photographs

Lorenz and Avelar / Getty Images

by Billy Booth

 1. Los Angeles, California; February 25, 1942, 02:25 p.m.

 1942-Los Angeles, California.

The legend: Alarm sirens installed in the event of a Japanese air raid are started as flying objects are seen and announced in the sky. A blackout is declared and  anxious and terrified citizens follow the instructions by turning all the lights off. 03:16 p.m. Anti-aircraft guns open fire on the unidentified flying objects coming from the ocean, and projector beams are searching the sky. Witnesses observe small objects flying at high altitude, of red or silver plated color, moving in formation at high speed, and untouched by the AAA salvos. This large object was unhurt by many AAA projectiles, according to the reports.

2. McMinnville, Oregon; May 8, 1950

 1950-McMinnville, Oregon. Paul Trent

Photographed by Paul Trent after his wife spotted a strange object in the sky, these images were published in a local newspaper in McMinnville, Oregon. Soon after, the Trent photos were published in Life magazine edition of June 26, 1950. The rest is history. 

3. Washington, D. C., 1952

 1952-Washington, D. C. 1952-Washington, D. C. United States Air Force

The legend: Early in the history of Ufology in the United States, unidentified flying objects made themselves known to the leaders of the free world, buzzing over the White House, the Capitol building, and the Pentagon. Seemingly the unknown objects were defying the very governmental agencies sworn to protect the United States from foreign powers. Washington National Airport and Andrews Air Force Base picked up a number of UFOs on their radar screens on July 19, 1952, beginning a wave of sightings still unexplained to this day.

4. Rosetta/Natal, South Africa; July 17, 1956

1956-South Africa 1956-South Africa. South African Air Force

This famous photograph, part of a series of seven similar images, was taken by a well-respected member of South African society in the Drakensberg Mountains. The photographer maintained her story until she died in 1994. 

5. Santa Ana, California; August 3, 1965

 1965-Santa Ana, California 1965-Santa Ana, California. Rex Heflin

This photograph was taken by highway traffic engineer Rex Heflin, while driving near the Santa Ana freeway. Heflin did not report his sighting, but the photographs were published by the Santa Ana Register on August 20, 1965. The photos were reportedly confiscated, and disagreements arose between Ufologists regarding their authenticity. 

6. Tulsa, Oklahoma; 1965

1965-Tulsa, Oklahoma 1965-Tulsa, Oklahoma. Life Magazine

The legend: In 1965, a series of strange low flying objects were reported almost nightly by people of all ages and walks of life across the United States. As the year progressed, the number of reports rose dramatically. On the night of August 2, 1965 thousands of people in four midwestern states witnessed spectacular aerial displays by large formations of UFOs. That same night a multi-colored disc was photographed in Tulsa, Oklahoma while several people watched it perform low altitude maneuvers. This picture was extensively analyzed, pronounced authentic, and later published by Life magazine.

7. Provo, Utah; July 1966; 11 a.m.

 1966-Provo, Utah 1966-Provo, Utah. United States Air Force

The pilot of a twin engine C-47 "Skytrain" transport aircraft of the USAF took this photograph on a July morning in 1966. The aircraft was flying over the Rocky Mountains, at about 40 kilometers southwest of Provo, Utah. The Condon commission, which concluded that UFOs are unworthy of scientific investigations, analyzed the negative at the time and concluded that the photograph shows an ordinary object thrown in the air. Many Ufologists disagree with their conclusion.

8. Woonsocket, Rhode Island; 1967

1967-Woonsocket, Rhode Island 1967-Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Harold Trudel

The legend: This daytime photograph of a disk-shaped object was taken in East Woonsocket, Rhode Island by UFO contactee Harold Trudel. The photograph shows a slightly asymmetric hubcap shaped object with a small dome and aerial extending from the bottom. Trudel believed he was in mental contact with space people, who sent him telepathic messages as to where and when they would appear.

9. Costa Rica; September 4, 1971

 1971-Costa Rica 1971-Costa Rica. Costa Rican Government

An official mapping aircraft of the Costa Rican government took this photograph in 1971. The aircraft was flying at 10,000 feet over Lago de Cote. An investigation could not identify the object as a "known" aircraft. Debunkers took some stabs at it, but the photograph is still recognized as authentic by most investigators. No "earthly" explanation has ever been given to explain the object.

10. Apollo 16 / Moon; April 16-27, 1967

1972-Apollo 16 1972-Apollo 16. NASA

The UFO is seen at just right of top center. No explanation has been given for the object.

11. Tavernes, France; 1974

 1974-Tavernes, France 1974-Tavernes, France. Anonymous French Medical Doctor

This classic French UFO image was taken by an anonymous French medical doctor in Var, during a major UFO flap over France. Skeptics doubted the picture on the grounds that "luminous rays cannot end like this." Of course they do not, normally. But the skeptics simply forgot to consider other explanations—that these are not luminous rays but light emission by ionized air, for example. The object in the photograph is still considered a UFO.

12. Waterbury, Connecticut; 1987

 1987-Waterbury, Connecticut 1987-Waterbury, Connecticut. Randy Etting

The lengend: Randy Etting was taking a walk outside his home. A commercial airline pilot with over 30 years experience, he spent a lot of time looking at the sky. On the night he took the photograph, he saw a number of orange and red lights approaching from the west. He got his binoculars and called his neighbors to come outside. By this time, the object was a great deal closer and seemed to be over I-84, just east of Etting's home. The lights were shimmering like distortion from engine heat, but he could hear no sound. Etting stated: "As the UFO passed over I-84, cars in both the east and west bound lanes began pulling over and stopping. The UFO displayed a semi-circular pattern of very bright multicolored lights. Five motorists reported that, as the object became visible, a number of cars lost power and had to pull off the highway."

13. Gulf Breeze, Florida; 1987

1987-Gulf Breeze, Florida 1987-Gulf Breeze, Florida. Ed Walters

When the news of the flurry of sightings spread beyond the close knit community of Gulf Breeze, soon UFO enthusiasts across the world were involved. Shortly after Walters' photos hit the local newspaper, more UFO photographers came forward with their stories or sightings; more images, both still and moving. 

14. Petit Rechain, Belgium; 1989.

1989-Petit Rechain, Belgium 1989-Petit Rechain, Belgium. Photographer Anonymous

The photographer of this famous Belgian UFO photograph still remains unnamed. Taken on an April night during a well known "wave," the photo shows a triangle-shaped object with lights. The photo was edited slightly as the original photo was too dark to show the object's outline. 

15. Puebla, Mexico; December 21, 1944

1994-Puebla, Mexico 1994-Puebla, Mexico. Carlos Diaz

While taking photos of the eruption of Mt. Popocatepetl in Puebla, Mexico, Carlos Diaz, a photographer with an extensive collection of UFO images, shot this photo. It has since been authenticated by many photographic experts and published in numerous magazines, newspapers, and books. This picture shows a glowing, yellowish, disc shaped object with a red hue toward the top and windows or portholes. 

16. Phoenix, Arizona; 1977

1997-Phoenix, Arizona 1997-Phoenix, Arizona. CNN News

This photograph is one of many depicting one of the most publicized UFO events in history. First observed in a hexagram pattern at about 7:30 p.m. over the Superstition Mountains area east of Phoenix, the characteristic 8+1 formation of amber orbs was next seen in two separate arc patterns with "trailing lights" over the Gila River area at about 9:50 and again at 10:00 at the southern edge of Phoenix. Thousands reported seeing these objects and a handful videotaped them on camcorders.

17. Taipei, China; 2004

2004-Taipei, China 2004-Taipei, China. Lin Qingjiang

Lin Qingjiang, a worker in Hualian County of Taipei, discovered a suspected UFO, shaped like a large bamboo hat, at about 10:00 p.m. when he was resting outside the house. Lin was quoted as saying that the suspected UFO flew towards east and west five times within 10 minutes, during which time Qingjiang captured this photograph on his cell phone. 

18. Kaufman, Texas; 2005

2005-Kaufman, Texas 2005-Kaufman, Texas. lawwalk

The photographer states: "I was out today taking pictures of the chemtrails 01-21-2005, and at 11:35 a.m. I was aiming my camera at a scrawny little cloud. As I was snapping the picture, I noticed a flash in the sky through the viewfinder. When the picture came on the screen, I noticed a gold-colored object at the top of the cloud I had captured also. I looked back where it was and of course it was gone. I really couldn't tell much of what it may be until I downloaded it to my computer. I zoomed in on it and nearly fell out of my chair. It appears to be a craft of some kind with maybe windows or ports on the right side, in the middle. It also appears to be emanating a gas or some type of energy field around it, mainly at the top."

19. Valpara, Mexico; 2004

2004-Valpara, Mexico 2004-Valpara, Mexico. Mercury newspaper-Mexico

This photograph was taken by Valpara newspaper reporter Manuel Aguirre when he noticed.a band of glowing lights in the distance over the city skyline. This photograph has not been debunked, and to date is considered legitimate. The unknown object appears to be circular or spherical in shape.

20. Modesto, California; 2005

2005-Modesto, California 2005-Modesto, California. R. David Anderson

The photographer states: "I noticed some kind of craft toward my left that appeared from behind a tree that is in our front yard. I rapidly rotated my camera on its mount and took one picture. There were several brilliant lights that surrounded this craft. It was impossible to make out the shape of the craft because the lights were so brilliant. The lights did not strobe or flash like a normal aircraft array would. Each light glowed with the same intensity and color as a sodium-vapor type street lamp."

{ https://www.thoughtco.com/ }

NASA'S $1 BILLION JUPITER PROBE JUST SENT BACK STUNNING NEW PHOTOS OF JUPITER

Traveling above Jupiter at more than 130,000 miles per hour, NASA's $1 billion Juno probe took its ninth set of stunning flyby images on October 24. But the sun slipped between the giant planet and Earth for more than a week, blocking the spacecraft from beaming home its precious bounty of data.
Now that the conjunction is over, however, new raw image data from Juno's ninth perijove — as the spacecraft's high-speed flybys are called — has poured in. Researchers posted it all online on Tuesday, and a community of amateurs and professionals has been busily processing the data to yield colorful and stunning new pictures of Jupiter.

“Brand new Jupiter pics from @NASAJuno Perijove 09! What a blimmin' gorgeous/diabolical planet,” Seán Doran, a UK-based graphic artist who regularly processes NASA images, tweeted on Tuesday.
Below are some fresh, close-up images of Jupiter, along with other unbelievable views captured from earlier perijoves.

In the most recent flyby, as with the previous eight, Juno's flyby started over Jupiter's north pole.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

The spacecraft then swept within a few thousand miles of the gas giant, capturing stunning high-resolution views of its cloud tops.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Jason Major

At its closest approach to Jupiter during each flyby, the robot briefly becomes the fastest human-made object in the solar system, reaching speeds of around 130,000 miles per hour.

Then Juno flew back out into deep space, passing over Jupiter's south pole on its exit. Churning storms at the poles constantly change their appearance.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

Researchers upload the raw data sent by the probe to the mission's website. 

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

There, enthusiasts take the drab, mostly gray image data and process it all into true-to-life color photos.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

Some of the tempests are large enough to swallow planet Earth — or at least a good chunk of it.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

The planet's atmosphere is a turbulent mess of hydrogen and helium gases.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

There are also traces of molecules like ammonia, methane, sulfur, and water, which give the clouds different colors and properties.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

The mixture sometimes creates features that look like faces (as seen on the left in this image).

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

Other times, shining-white clouds fill up most of a band.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

Many cloud bands have features called chevrons. These atmospheric disturbances blow at several hundreds of miles per hour and sometimes zig-zag through a band, or punch through into others.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

In this older view of Jupiter, from Juno's eighth perijove, two cloud bands battle for dominance — one of which contains a swirling storm many times larger than a hurricane on Earth.

{ http://www.sci-techuniverse.com/ }

© University of Cincinnati
The ‘Pylos Combat Agate’ has been hailed as one of the finest works of prehistoric Greek art ever discovered

The history of art has been rewritten after archeologists unearthed an astonishing 3,500 year old carving of an ancient Greek battle, depicting human bodies in anatomical detail which was thought way beyond the skill of Bronze Age artisans. 

In 2015, the tomb of the so-called 'Griffin Warrior' was discovered near the ancient city of Pylos, southwest Greece, containing the remains of a powerful Myceneaen warrior and a treasure trove of burial riches. 

Dating from around 1,500BC the grave also held a intricately carved gem, or sealstone, which was covered in limestone. 

Now after a year of careful restoration the scene beneath has finally been uncovered. It depicts an ancient battle in which a bare-chested warrior plunges a blade into the neck of an assailant, while a second enemy corpse lays at his feet. 

© University of Cincinnati
The seal was originally covered in limestone and has taken a year to clean and restore

The seal, named the 'Pylos Combat Agate' has been hailed as one of the finest works of prehistoric Greek art ever discovered and may depict the mythological war between the Trojans and Mycenaeans, which was told in Homer's Iliad hundreds of years later. 

Comment: Where Troy Once Stood: The Mystery of Homer's Iliad & Odyssey Revealed 

"What is fascinating is that the representation of the human body is at a level of detail and musculature that one doesn't find again until the classical period of Greek art 1,000 years later. It's a spectacular find.," said Jack Davis, Professor of Archaeology of the University of Cincinnati's Department of Classics. 

"It's a spectacular find." 

The find is all the more remarkable because of its tiny size. The tiny piece of agate measures just 1.4 inches in length (3.6cm) and many of the details such as the ornamentation on the shields and jewellery are too small to be viewed with the naked eye. 

© University of Cincinnati
Detail of the seal, which cannot be seen with the naked eye

Researchers are baffled as to how ancient craftsmen were able to create the minute scene without microscopes. 

"Some of the details on this are only a half-millimeter big," added Prof Davis. "They're incomprehensibly small. 

"It seems that they were producing art of the sort that no one ever imagined they were capable of producing. 

"It shows that their ability and interest in representational art, particularly movement and human anatomy, is beyond what it was imagined to be. Combined with the stylized features, that itself is just extraordinary." 

Dig leader Shari Stocker, of the University of Cincinnati's Department of Classics, said: "Looking at the image for the first time was a very moving experience, and it still is. 

"It's brought some people to tears. It would have been a valuable and prized possession, which certainly is representative of the Griffin Warrior's role in Mycenaean society. 

"This seal should be included in all forthcoming art history texts, and will change the way that prehistoric art is viewed." 

© University of Cincinnati
A sketch of the seal

The tomb contained more than 3,000 objects arrayed on and around the warrior's body, including four solid gold rings, silver cups, precious stone beads, fine-toothed ivory combs and an intricately built sword, among other weapons. 

An ivory plaque adorned with a griffin was also buried with the warrior, leading archaeologists to dub him The Griffin Warrior. 

The grave-good are helping archaeologists piece together greater detail about the interactions between the Mycenaens and Minoans at the time.

© University of Cincinnati
A reconstruction of the seal

The seal, and other artefacts suggest that the Griffin Warrior was a Mycenaen nobleman but many of grave-goods are Minoan, including four gold signet rings. Around the time of his death, approximately 1500BC, the Mycenaeans conquered the Minoans meaning the tomb riches could be the spoils of conquest. 

The new findings are published in the journal Hesperia. 

Comment: 

This exquisite find is just one of many examples that should have us questioning the much touted myth of human progress. The evidence suggests that some ancient peoples possessed knowledge superior to our own.

• Mysterious bronze disc discovered near Greek shipwreck could be a missing piece of the Antikythera Mechanism
• Mathematical secrets of ancient Babylonian tablet unlocked
• Stonehenge builders had geometry skills to rival Pythagoras
• Out-of-place artifacts suggestive of ancient high-tech civilizations
• New evidence suggest ancient civilizations characterized by forgotten high science and technology
• An ancient technology is helping India's "water man" save thousands of parched villages
• Archaeologists uncover rare 2,000-year-old Roman sundial during theater excavation in Italy
• Seven ancient cultures that history forgot

{ https://www.sott.net/category/19 }

NASA Wants To Probe Deeper Into Uranus Than Ever Before

Scientists from the Paris Observatory used the Hubble Space Telescope to take a look at the auroras on Uranus

(Picture: ESA/Hubble & NASA, L. Lamy / Observatoire de Paris)

Up until now, NASA has never paid too much attention to Uranus – but now the space agency wants to take a good, long look. And one of the things it might be investigating is all that gas. A NASA group outlined four possible missions to the ice giants Uranus and Neptune.

These missions include three orbiters and a possible fly-by of Uranus. The planned probes would take off in the 2030s, New Scientist reports.

‘The preferred mission is an orbiter with an atmospheric probe to either Uranus or Neptune – this provides the highest science value, and allows in depth study of all aspects of either planet’s system: rings, satellites, atmosphere, magnetosphere,’ says Amy Simon, co-chair of the Ice Giants Pre-Decadal Study group.

MORE: Sorry, you’ve probably been saying the word Uranus wrong your whole life MORE: Hubble just spotted something massive coming out of Uranus One of the proposed missions includes a fly-by of Uranus, which would include a narrow-angle camera – and a probe which would drop into Uranus’s atmosphere to measure gas and heavy elements. There are four proposed missions.

Three orbiters and a fly-by of Uranus, which would include a narrow angle camera to draw out details, especially of the ice giant’s moons. It would also drop an atmospheric probe to take a dive into Uranus’s atmosphere to measure the levels of gas and heavy elements there.
Three orbiters and a fly-by of Uranus, which would include a narrow angle camera to draw out details, especially of the ice giant’s moons. It would also drop an atmospheric probe to take a dive into Uranus’s atmosphere to measure the levels of gas and heavy elements there.
Has Uranus been probed?

NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft flew closely past distant Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun, in January 1986.

A map of the outer solar system

(Picture: AFP/Getty)

At its closest, the spacecraft came within 81,500 kilometres (50,600 miles) of Uranus’s cloudtops on January 24, 1986. Voyager 2 radioed thousands of images and voluminous amounts of other scientific data on the planet, its moons, rings, atmosphere, interior and the magnetic environment surrounding Uranus.

Since launch on August 20, 1977, Voyager 2’s itinerary has taken the spacecraft to Jupiter in July 1979, Saturn in August 1981, and then Uranus. Voyager 2’s next encounter was with Neptune in August 1989. Both Voyager 2 and its twin, Voyager 1, will eventually leave our solar system and enter interstellar space.

MORE: Sorry, you’ve probably been saying the word Uranus wrong your whole life Voyager 2’s images of the five largest moons around Uranus revealed complex surfaces indicative of varying geologic pasts. The cameras also detected 10 previously unseen moons.

Several instruments studied the ring system, uncovering the fine detail of the previously known rings and two newly detected rings. Voyager data showed that the planet’s rate of rotation is 17 hours, 14 minutes. The spacecraft also found a Uranian magnetic field that is both large and unusual. In addition, the temperature of the equatorial region, which receives less sunlight over a Uranian year, is nevertheless about the same as that at the poles.

Via Metro.co.uk

{ http://www.thespaceacademy.org/ }

Juno maakt foto van het overweldigende zuidelijk halfrond van Jupiter

Vivian Lammerse

Op dit prachtig gedetailleerde plaatje is zelfs een van Jupiter’s stormen goed zichtbaar.

Ruimtesonde Juno maakte deze foto terwijl hij bezig was met zijn negende vlucht rond de grootste planeet van ons zonnestelsel. Juno was slechts 33.115 kilometer van de wolkentoppen van Jupiter verwijderd.

De foto van ruimtesonde Juno van het zuiderlijk halfrond van Jupiter. De foto is gemaakt op 24 oktober 2017.

Afbeelding: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/ Seán Doran

Storm
Op de foto is het zuidelijkhalfrond van de enorme gasreus te aanschouwen in opmerkelijk veel detail. Zo vangt Juno een geweldig beeld van één van Jupiter’s stormen. Deze storm maakt deel uit van een hele reeks aan stormen – in totaal acht – die in een massief draaiende beweging op zo’n 40 graden zuiderbreedte over de planeet woedt.

Juno
Sinds juli 2016 draait de Juno-ruimtesonde om de planeet Jupiter heen. Sindsdien is NASA al veel te weten gekomen over de kern, compositie, magnetosfeer en de polen van de planeet. Daarnaast maakt Juno om de haverklap prachtige kiekjes. Zo legde hij al eerder de twee manen rond Jupiter voor eeuwig vast en was daarvoor ook al de stormachtige atmosfeer te bewonderen.

Omlooptijd
De sonde doet er op dit moment zo’n 53 dagen over om een rondje rond de gasreus te voltooien. Wetenschappers wilde Juno van baan doen veranderen waardoor de omlooptijd teruggeschroefd zou worden naar 14 dagen. Echter werd deze manoeuvre om technische mankementen uitgesteld. Op 11 december is er een tweede mogelijkheid om de baanwisseling te laten plaatsvinden.

Bronmateriaal:

"Jupiter’s Stunning Southern Hemisphere" - NASA 
Afbeelding bovenaan dit artikel: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/ Seán Doran

{ https://www.scientias.nl/ }

NASA hoopt monsterraket en Orion op het randje van volgend jaar te lanceren

Caroline Kraaijvanger

{ https://www.scientias.nl/ }

Enorm hemellichaam ontdekt in de bulge van ons sterrenstelsel

Caroline Kraaijvanger

{ https://www.scientias.nl/ }

‘A lost world below the surface’: Russian explorers film in world’s biggest cave with drone (VIDEO)

© cameraptor

© cameraptor

Son Doong was entirely closed to visitors until 2013, and the Russian team of six spent a year arranging permits for the trip.

Their journey through the cave took four days of arduous climbs interspersed with spectacular sights, such as some of the world’s most imposing stalagmites, fast-running streams, and an underground forest.

© cameraptor

“It’s peaceful here, you feel completely detached and free. This is what you call a reset,” said one of the travelers, Ernest Rudyak, in a video diary of the journey. “It is a sanctuary, a lost world below the surface - a unique ecosystem.”

© cameraptor

Only about 2,000 outsiders are thought to have traveled to the remote location, and fewer than a dozen have filmed inside with a drone. Only limited tours costing several thousand dollars are made available each year, and those sell out in hours.

© cameraptor

But the government wants to capitalize on what has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2003, and has proposed a cable car route through the cave. A spate of protests delayed construction in 2014, but the $200 million plan that would allow hundreds to visit the cave each day, remains on the table.

© cameraptor

{ https://www.rt.com/news/ }

NASA to test ‘space lasers’ with latest launch (VIDEO)

Antares rocket carrying the S.S. Gene Cernan Cygnus 

© Orbital ATK / Facebook

The twin satellites will propel themselves using water, while using cameras, beacons, and laser rangefinders to adjust the relative position measurements between the two devices.

NASA believes that the satellites could lead to “significantly enhanced communication speeds between space and Earth and a better understanding of laser communication between small satellites in low-Earth orbit.”

“Capabilities in proximity operations enable multiple small spacecraft to operate cooperatively during science or exploration missions, approach another spacecraft or object for in-space observation or servicing, or connect small spacecraft together to form larger systems or networks in space,” the space agency also said.

The launch was initially scheduled to take place on Saturday but was “scrubbed” after an aircraft was detected in the vicinity of the launch pad.

{ https://www.rt.com/ }

Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser Space Plane Aces Free-Flight Drop Test

Sierra Nevada Corp 

✔@SierraNevCorp

SNC is proud to announce the Dream Chaser® spacecraft had a successful free-flight test today @EdwardsAFB, with support of @NASAArmstrong. The Dream Chaser had a beautiful flight and landing!

2:43 AM - Nov 12, 2017

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