A while back - probably a month or so ago - there was a 'UFO' image on one of the UFO boards that was, IIRC, supposedly taken by an instrumentation camera at Area 51. It showed a cross-shaped object with a markedly curving surface and a metallic sheen. I just ran across a web image of a specialized parachute that looks pretty much like it (and would be something that an instrumentation camera at Area 51 would photograph) and I'd like to compare the two... but I can't remember where the original post was. Can anyone point me at that OP? The parachute is pictured below.

is that a ufo or a parachute i cant tell

That's a specialty parachute for high altitude. The manufacturer's page is here, the item's about halfway down:
http://www.aerostar.com/military/parachutes.htm