Have you seen the mysterious zig zagging lights in the sky?

[MilosOpacic]

hi i have noticed a pair of zig zagging lights about 6 months ago when i was having a smoke break, i decided to take a closer look and for the last 6 months I've been watching them everyday...they are there every night, i have even shown friends and family and they saw the same thing...it really creeped me out so i just wanted to get some opinions on it. if you take a look at any of the stars in orions belt you can tell with the naked eye that each star is stationary...these `lights` that I am tracking have very irregular zig zagging movements. if you would like me to show you please make sure you are in my timezone plus 6, i am currently in croatia i have noticed these lights when i used to live in Canada...but i see them from here to

 

[Newai]

Video?

 

[zomgwtf]

Perhaps this should go into the debunking forums? It would be seen by more people who would be able to answer this in my opinion.

You would need to get more specific however about the lights, exactly what you see. Also video/pictures would be very helpful.

 

[berkeman]

hi i have noticed a pair of zig zagging lights about 6 months ago when i was having a smoke break, i decided to take a closer look and for the last 6 months I've been watching them everyday...they are there every night, i have even shown friends and family and they saw the same thing...it really creeped me out so i just wanted to get some opinions on it. if you take a look at any of the stars in orions belt you can tell with the naked eye that each star is stationary...these `lights` that I am tracking have very irregular zig zagging movements. if you would like me to show you please make sure you are in my timezone plus 6, i am currently in croatia i have noticed these lights when i used to live in Canada...but i see them from here to

Welcome to the PF, Milos.

Perhaps this should go into the debunking forums? It would be seen by more people who would be able to answer this in my opinion.

You would need to get more specific however about the lights, exactly what you see. Also video/pictures would be very helpful.

Agreed -- I moved it from GD to here in S&D.

Milos -- could you please provide more information? We should be able to help you figure out what they are, assuming what you say is true.

 

[pergradus]

You should talk to a local amateur astronomer - they are pretty keen on what's going on in the night sky.

 

[MilosOpacic]

sorry I am new to this, i made an account just to get some answers, but the lights look like stars at first glance to an average person but if you take a closer look you will notice a very disticnt zig zagging pattern

 

[MilosOpacic]

i haven't tried taking a video yet but i have a feeling that it wouldn't be noticable on camera
they are very easy to spot, I've been following them for half a year now

 

[berkeman]

Have you tried an experiment in a dark room, looking a a small spot of light on the other side of the room (with about the same size as the lights you see in the sky)? It could be a small motion that your eyes are making, possibly.

 

[MilosOpacic]

yes i have in fact, i even compare it to neighbouring stars as i said every star in orions belt is stationary...but these are CLEARLY moving

 

[berkeman]

Moving like satellite moving?

 

[MilosOpacic]

no man, circling and swaying around...im looking at it right now...

 

[Jack21222]

no man, circling and swaying around...im looking at it right now...

Take a video? Unspecified lights in the sky doesn't really give us much to work with.

 

[MilosOpacic]

dude you can't see it on video...i just said that, just forget the whole thing, i clearly came to the wrong place for this

 

[nismaratwork]

dude you can't see it on video...i just said that, just forget the whole thing, i clearly came to the wrong place for this

How can you not see it on video?

I'd add... why is this the wrong place? True, you've come to a place where your claims won't be believed without evidence, but would you rather have people simply repeat what you already believe without at examining it?

 

[collinsmark]

Well, if you're looking at or near Orion's belt, there are a number of nebula in that region. The most prominent is the Great Orion nebula. The Great Orion Nebula can be seen without much trouble with the naked eye, as long as there is not much light pollution in your location. It is diffuse and dim, but it is possible to see. (Even in moderate light pollution it is possible to see. But the less light pollution the better.)

Due to the nature of the human eye, it is much easier to see dim objects using your peripheral vision. If you look at a very dim object directly, it might seem to "disappear", only to reappear as you scan your eyes to a slightly different location, and the object is back in the periphery. The reason for this is that the central part of the macula, called the fovea -- the region of the eye that is responsible for sharp central vision -- has a an extremely high concentration of cones. Correspondingly, there is a small concentration of rods in the fovea. But rods, not cones, are the receptors capable of seeing very dim objects (rods are more sensitive than cones, although rods can't detector color).

To the unaware, this can make looking at very dim objects quite frustrating. One sees the object of interest in one's general field of vision. But when trying to look straight at it, it disappears. And then reappears later only after one looks a little away.

I suppose this might give the impression of blinking, or perhaps even moving or swaying (of an astronomical object that is very dim to the naked eye). Perhaps.

 

[pergradus]

Well, if you're looking at or near Orion's belt, there are a number of nebula in that region. The most prominent is the Great Orion nebula. The Great Orion Nebula can be seen without much trouble with the naked eye, as long as there is not much light pollution in your location. It is diffuse and dim, but it is possible to see.

Due to the nature of the human eye, it is much easier to see dim objects using your peripheral vision. If you look at a very dim object directly, it might seem to "disappear", only to reappear as you scan your eyes to a slightly different location, and the object is back in the periphery. The reason for this is that the central part of the macula, called the fovea -- the region of the eye that is responsible for sharp central vision -- has a an extremely high concentration of cones. Correspondingly, there is a small concentration of rods in the fovea. But rods, not cones, are the receptors capable of seeing very dim objects (rods are more sensitive than cones, although rods can't detector color).

To the unaware, this can make looking at very dim objects quite frustrating. One sees the object of interest in one's general field of vision. But when trying to look straight at it, it disappears. And then reappears later only after one looks a little away.

I suppose this might give the impression of something (very dim) blinking, or perhaps even moving or swaying. Perhaps.

I'd go with this, but it appears the OP threw a hissy fit and stormed off.

 

[nismaratwork]

I'd go with this, but it appears the OP threw a hissy fit and stormed off.

If so, then I think we can guess as to the motivation:

Propaganda: "A monologue which seeks not a response, but an echo." (W.H. Auden)

 

[Jack21222]

dude you can't see it on video...i just said that, just forget the whole thing, i clearly came to the wrong place for this

No, you said you haven't tried taking a video.

i haven't tried taking a video yet

See?

If you haven't stormed off for good, can you at least tell us what stars they're near? A program like Stellarium will tell you the names of the stars.

 

[JaredJames]

Right, so it can be seen from Canada and Croatia.

They are two rather different perspectives. So a few questions:

1. Are you sure you're looking at the same thing? - This to me would imply it's more related to your eyes than the sky.
2. If you've seen it every night, with such certainty, why have you not tried to 'capture' it on video or reported it to someone who could help? - Amateur astronomers would jump on this opportunity.

 

[MilosOpacic]

first of all I am nowhere near on the level of you guys with these kinds of things I am a normal kid so i just wanted to see what other people.
Second of all i didnt throw a `hissy` fit...i just went to sleep cause as i said I am in a differnt time zone
I will take a video tonight and ill upload it,

 

[MilosOpacic]

How can you not see it on video?

I'd add... why is this the wrong place? True, you've come to a place where your claims won't be believed without evidence, but would you rather have people simply repeat what you already believe without at examining it?

it is very faint and you have to focus in on it, i tried with my iphone and my hands are to shaky so it looks like everything is moving, i need a frickin tripod or something, but serioisley, instead of me taking a video...message me if your in my timezone and ill go out on my balcony, spot it instantly and ill let you guys know where to look...im not a friggin scientist

 

[berkeman]

Thread closed for obvious reasons. Thanks folks.