Variable air density creates 'UFO mirage' on sea in Alaska

[Still Waters]

The effect, known as Fata Morgana, deceives the brain (and the lens) into believing an object is there and moving when it is not.

https://news.sky.com/video/variable-air-density-creates-ufo-mirage-on-sea-in-alaska-12371335

[ChrLzs]

I need to think about this a little more, but my initial impression is..  Wha?  A Fata Morgana that involves steady horizontal movement..?

On careful examination, it appears the camera is moving fast and horizontally (note the effect of the water in the foreground), eg a stabilised drone, perhaps?  That might explain a parallax effect caused by differing distances to the different elements in the shot.  I'd *really* like to see a decent explanation of the circumstances behind the footage.  This effect would be very easy to fake, but I'm willing to initially accept it is real...  I just want to know more about the horizontal movement... 

[Dejarma]

not there or not moving? Because there is something there.. Though it does look like it's been added due to shading & lighting differences & what seems to be bad tracking to my eyes? Or is this a joke? I'm confused

[ChrLzs]

5 minutes ago, Dejarma said:

not there or not moving? Because there is something there.. Though it does look like it's been added due to shading & lighting differences & what seems to be bad tracking to my eyes? Or is this a joke? I'm confused

I'll admit my head screamed fake initially, but then I saw the foreground movement - that camera is moving fast.  So.. if that little island is actually much closer, then a superior mirage plus a Fata Morgana effect (both of which are common over this bay), could indeed result in the 'miraged' island moving like that.  It looks utterly weird because of that lateral movement, but as the camera appears to be haulin' ass...  I think it is possible.

[OpenMindedSceptic]

Yesssss, finally a post UM commentators can get behind.

UFO is a cloud.

[+razman]

Yea at first look it seems like the camera is speeded up , or doctored. 

Edited August 8, 2021 by razman

[Trelane]

3 hours ago, OpenMindedSceptic said:

Yesssss, finally a post UM commentators can get behind.

UFO is a cloud.

Do you have something productive to add? Or is your comment to just perpetuate your attitude of a pouty child? 

Edited August 8, 2021 by Trelane

[OpenMindedSceptic]

22 minutes ago, Trelane said:

Do you have something productive to add? Or is your comment to just perpetuate your attitude of a pouty child? 

I am mightily impressed with my input thus far.

Especially as I added something, while you haven't.

Do you think it might be Jupiter in the video or are you going with a cloud? 

[Trelane]

1 hour ago, OpenMindedSceptic said:

I am mightily impressed with my input thus far.

Especially as I added something, while you haven't.

Do you think it might be Jupiter in the video or are you going with a cloud? 

Ok then. I'll start at the end and work my way back on this.

I honestly don't have much to add in the way of new information. I only have an opinion and that is irrelevant in the context of the discussion between @ChrLzs and @Dejarma so far. I have simply been noting items they have been talking about. I haven't heard of the terms discussed, so this has been a learning point for me.

Your self- esteem in regards to your "input' here and in many other threads is equally irrelevant as it does not provide anything of value to furthering the items discussed. However, that simple sentence above does provide the insight into who you are as a person and how you think and interact with the larger world. That being said, you are only providing your viewpoint of disdain for those who do not blindly accept/believe in some of the items presented on this site. It is interesting as you remain doggedly negative to contrasting viewpoints. So much to the point that your attempts at being witty at commenting on your perception of skeptics reveals your own inflexibilities and rather childish demeanor.

[OpenMindedSceptic]

4 minutes ago, Trelane said:

Ok then. I'll start at the end and work my way back on this.

I honestly don't have much to add in the way of new information. I only have an opinion and that is irrelevant in the context of the discussion between @ChrLzs and @Dejarma so far. I have simply been noting items they have been talking about. I haven't heard of the terms discussed, so this has been a learning point for me.

Your self- esteem in regards to your "input' here and in many other threads is equally irrelevant as it does not provide anything of value to furthering the items discussed. However, that simple sentence above does provide the insight into who you are as a person and how you think and interact with the larger world. That being said, you are only providing your viewpoint of disdain for those who do not blindly accept/believe in some of the items presented on this site. It is interesting as you remain doggedly negative to contrasting viewpoints. So much to the point that your attempts at being witty at commenting on your perception of skeptics reveals your own inflexibilities and rather childish demeanor.

So, you still haven't had any input to the story in the thread.

Thanks.

You must stop by again.

[Trelane]

6 minutes ago, OpenMindedSceptic said:

So, you still haven't had any input to the story in the thread.

Thanks.

You must stop by again.

I had explained myself in my response but I do understand that comprehension can be degraded when simply having to seem funny or witty is the only purpose of posting. Unfortunately, you're neither.I was addressing your consistent inability to provide anything of worth to the threads you do comment on. That's all, nothing more.

back on topic...

[OpenMindedSceptic]

1 hour ago, Trelane said:

I had explained myself in my response but I do understand that comprehension can be degraded when simply having to seem funny or witty is the only purpose of posting. Unfortunately, you're neither.I was addressing your consistent inability to provide anything of worth to the threads you do comment on. That's all, nothing more.

back on topic...

But you're not on topic.

Enjoy your fun life 

[XenoFish]

When the background sprites of an old video game don't quite render like they used too.

[Dejarma]

5 hours ago, OpenMindedSceptic said:

I am mightily impressed with my input thus far.

yep, me too- superb

[Trelane]

Interesting how this effect is created, but it seems more prevalent over bodies over water. I wonder how this was reported prior to being understood.

[ChrLzs]

3 hours ago, Trelane said:

Interesting how this effect is created, but it seems more prevalent over bodies over water. I wonder how this was reported prior to being understood.

The Wiki's pretty good and kinda answers your question.  It's related to the more common mirage, where you see what appear to be pools of water on a hot road in the distance

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fata_Morgana_(mirage)

 

[Jon the frog]

Nice, but it's the reflection of what ? Lot of time you see a boat or a part of a town but that reflection look like the mountain in Close Encounters of the Third Kind...

Edited August 13, 2021 by Jon the frog

[ChrLzs]

6 hours ago, Jon the frog said:

Nice, but it's the reflection of what ? Lot of time you see a boat or a part of a town but that reflection look like the mountain in Close Encounters of the Third Kind...

It's more of a refraction than reflection...    And my understanding is that there are small islands in this body of water between the background scenery and the observation location.  The vertical stretching effect is a part of the refraction process.  I don't really have time now to look that all up and cite it, but if you want I probably can later..

[Jon the frog]

11 hours ago, ChrLzs said:

It's more of a refraction than reflection...    And my understanding is that there are small islands in this body of water between the background scenery and the observation location.  The vertical stretching effect is a part of the refraction process.  I don't really have time now to look that all up and cite it, but if you want I probably can later..

Tks, so it's probably an island, would be interesting to know the geolocation.

[ChrLzs]

I had a bit of a lookaround, but am finding it hard to identify the background peaks, and there are a lot of peaks and little islands scattered across this region.  Eg, here's a candidate from 'reviewcruises.net' - pity the clouds are obscuring the mountains behind...

When looking at the OP video, take particular note of the foreground water - this camera is actually zipping along.  It's either a drone or possibly on a fast moving boat/ship.  That explains the apparent lateral movement.  Also, look to the left and right of the vertically stretched bit of the island/ufo, and you'll see the background stuff is similarly stretched - the mirage effect is giving a false rendition of not just the island, but everything...

Not a ufo, just a distorted island being 'overtaken' by the camera.