something in the sky

Rusty306 · Nov 30, 2011

Took a few pictures of my car the other night, was looking through them and noticed something funny in the background of one of the pictures, check it out.

Was on a 60sec exposure so I assume if it were some kind of meteorite/debris you would see a streak across the sky. Maybe it's some kind of defect/reflection?

Full size image is huge so I can't upload it (and also isn't the best quality) but here is a full size unedited crop of the lights

What do you think it is?

480sparky · Nov 30, 2011

Flare from the headlights.

What do I win?

LizardKing · Nov 30, 2011

It could be flare from the headlights... It's the first thing you think about, but there seems to be something wrong with the direction of them... or is it just me?

willis_927 · Nov 30, 2011

sparky is "winning"

TenaciousTins · Nov 30, 2011

IT could be flare. If it was any bigger I'd say it was the Northern Lights as they seem to be going over the north here and there lately.

480sparky · Nov 30, 2011

Given the OP is too far from Area 51, there's two ways to find out if it's flare. Both methods require the unedited original frame, though.

One is to measure how far each of the headlights are from the edges of the frame, and compare them to the mystery spots. If it's flare, the numbers will match.

Another is to draw a straight line between a light source and the ghost, making them cross. Technically, this should be the center of the image, as well as the center of the lens. If they cross in the exact middle of the frame, and the light & ghost are equidistant from that point.............

........ it's flare.

Now, about Elvis Presley and John Belushi I see sitting in the car, that's another matter................

1074 · Nov 30, 2011

I'm pretty sure it's aliens.

EchoingWhisper · Nov 30, 2011

As for streaks... they are the stars.

Bitter Jeweler · Nov 30, 2011

Orbs!!!

Rusty306 · Dec 1, 2011

Thanks for the input, I have a few friends convinced it's aliens haha. The one on the right definitely looks like a fireball pushing through a blue flame

e.rose · Dec 1, 2011

480sparky said:
Flare from the headlights.

What do I win?

Exactly my first thought.

e.rose · Dec 1, 2011

You can also see a bigger, more faint flair between the car and the flare on the left....

It's right along the red line that sparky drew in the second image example he posted.

Infinite_Day · Dec 1, 2011

I don't know - to me it looks like Earth's top secret intergalactic defense shield warding off another deep space invasion force pre-emptive weapons strike. Just another clandestine day's work for the Ex-Presidents.