seemingly manufactured object,

When you wish something were true... it is true.

Looks like a streetlight to me.

Gather = Copypasta

No clicks for them.

Dry cleaning bags filled with marsh gas. Nothing more

Videos where 'tards call UFOs "ships"?

Oh, and humorous that he complains about NASA disabling the feed, then disables ratings on his video.

I'm not saying it was a streetlight...

Much ado over a weather ballon, jeeze :)

ArcadianRefugee: Videos where 'tards call UFOs "ships"?

Oh, and humorous that he complains about NASA disabling the feed, then disables ratings on his video.

Who disabled his brain?

Must be a weather baboon.

UFO conspiracy nuts are worse than birthers and should be marginalized in our society.

hey bud.this is awesome,what more proof do these common ordinary sheeple need.n.a.s.a. never a STRAIGHT ANWSER.keep up what you are doing my friend.good job.painmaker214

You know you've written a good article when it's got the painmaker214 seal of approval.

How does NASA deal with a UFO coverup conspiracy charge? By taking away all those cool toys the public gets to play with ignoring the stupid conspiracy tards and getting on with doing science, which includes trying to fix their spacecraft when something goes wrong

FTFY, idiotmitter.

I like how the video in question doesnt actually show anything other than crazyman text and a still image of the alleged UFO

SOHO may be offline, but it looks like the STEREO spacecraft are still working.

The page's comedic value increases exponentially if you have noscript turned on.

"Commander Madagascar, this is the 9321st time one of our ships has been detected. Do we reveal ourselves now?"

"No."

I think the word "sheeple" needs to be added to the category of things that make your internet argument immediately invalid once invoked...

...right along with "Hitler" and "fanboy".

austin_millbarge: ...right along with "Hitler" and "fanboy".

How about fanboys of Hitler?

Whatever it is, it appears to have enormous testicles.

tburns6: [upload.wikimedia.org image 260x195]
Capt Pike says maybe.

No, he said beep-beep. Pay attention!

Space aliens attacking the sun. WE"RE ALL GONNA DIE!

Nightjars: austin_millbarge: ...right along with "Hitler" and "fanboy".

How about fanboys of Hitler?

The band or the guys with the funny mustaches and bad attitudes?

Rude Turnip: UFO conspiracy nuts are worse than birthers and should be marginalized in our society.

THIS. Let's marginalize anyone who doesn't agree with our viewpoints!

I have to wear my aluminum foil hat to keep the UFO's away from my house. I asked my neighbors to do the same but they just look at me as if I'm crazy.

It looks like a mutant star goat to me.

Are there really people sitting at a PC 24/7 watching images of the sun just to report this shiat? I'd rather be caught playing WoW while fapping to furry porn

Why only a still from a video feed?

Could it be that the frames before and after make it pretty hard to claim that what's being highlighted is even a static object, let alone suggestive of what Hollywood tells us spacecraft look like?

Rude Turnip: UFO conspiracy nuts are worse than birthers and should be marginalized in our society.

At least they're into something cool like outer space instead of racism and/or xenophobia. They're still a couple cards short of a deck though.

fredklein: [3.bp.blogspot.com image 450x275]

[upload.wikimedia.org image 600x340]

Aw crap, we're screwed.

FTA: What do you think?

I think he's barely literate.

I also think this all works much better to the tune of Star Wars.

/kinda want to believe

I love how the single comment on the page perfectly shows the mindset of conspiracy theorists/"UFOlogists."

hey bud.this is awesome,what more proof do these common ordinary sheeple need.n.a.s.a. never a STRAIGHT ANWSER.keep up what you are doing my friend.good job.painmaker214

"Common ordinary sheeple" don't believe in UFOs, or believe the official story of 9/11, or think Oswald killed JFK, etc.

Now, an uncommon, extraordinary person such as "painmaker214" know the TRUTH. Sure, he may be a major farkup in normal life, but that's due to the stupid, ignorant sheeple that get in his way.

Conspiracy theorist are better than everyone else because only they have access to a higher plane of thought...the rest of us are just sheep who dumbly follow the shepherd around.

elkraf: I have to wear my aluminum foil hat to keep the UFO's away from my house. I asked my neighbors to do the same but they just look at me as if I'm crazy.

The UFOs are staying away from your house, so it should be obvious to them that it works.

*facepalm*

SOHO is an old spacecraft. Like, they're down to a skeleton flight ops crew with automated ops and about 3-4 instruments still being funded. Got rid of most folk back in 2009 (budget cuts) and have been shutting down bit by bit since, as it's pretty much replaced by the snazzier Solar Dynamics Observatory now. This particular issue is likely just an automated on-board response to something that's probably just a bit flip. It's happened more than once in the past and generally nobody notices except the flight ops crew.

No, it's not aliens. The only aliens near that project are inflatable and were purchased in Roswell, NM on a road trip. And anything close enough to the Sun to show up in the images from it would be a) flippin' HUGE and b) quite thoroughly scorched.

/getting a kick
//waves at former coworkers

Just picked the object up on radar:

11Casey: Rude Turnip: UFO conspiracy nuts are worse than birthers and should be marginalized in our society.

THIS. Let's marginalize anyone who doesn't agree with our viewpoints!

You may have heard the phrase, "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion". I submit that they are not. Everyone is entitled to a well-though-out opinion, but the jackoffs spouting indefensible bullshiat are not, and should be told to STFU.

It's obviously a spacecraft that's attempting to slingshot around the sun.

/Transparent Aluminum.

fredklein: [3.bp.blogspot.com image 450x275]

[upload.wikimedia.org image 600x340]

This pleases the collective...

rufus-t-firefly: I love how the single comment on the page perfectly shows the mindset of conspiracy theorists/"UFOlogists."

hey bud.this is awesome,what more proof do these common ordinary sheeple need.n.a.s.a. never a STRAIGHT ANWSER.keep up what you are doing my friend.good job.painmaker214

"Common ordinary sheeple" don't believe in UFOs, or believe the official story of 9/11, or think Oswald killed JFK, etc.

Now, an uncommon, extraordinary person such as "painmaker214" know the TRUTH. Sure, he may be a major farkup in normal life, but that's due to the stupid, ignorant sheeple that get in his way.

Conspiracy theorist are better than everyone else because only they have access to a higher plane of thought...the rest of us are just sheep who dumbly follow the shepherd around.

I used to like keeping up with the latest conspiracy stuff but after I realized that many, many of the people who's work I was reading really thought they were better than everyone else it kind of took the fun out of it for me. I think what finally soured me to the conspiracy people was a graphic of a guy with his head stuck up his own ass...there really is a narcissistic quality to the hardcore conspiracy guy, or maybe it's what you call delusions of grandeur. Call it what you will I suppose.

CheekyMonkey: 11Casey: Rude Turnip: UFO conspiracy nuts are worse than birthers and should be marginalized in our society.

THIS. Let's marginalize anyone who doesn't agree with our viewpoints!

You may have heard the phrase, "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion". I submit that they are not. Everyone is entitled to a well-though-out opinion, but the jackoffs spouting indefensible bullshiat are not, and should be told to STFU.

Nah, everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Everyone is also entitled to tell someone else whose opinion they do not like to STFU.

If you're being told to STFU, you may or may not have a right to DIAF, additionally.

In any case I reserve to LMFAO at y'all, whichever way it happens to pan out.

Evildog: rufus-t-firefly: I love how the single comment on the page perfectly shows the mindset of conspiracy theorists/"UFOlogists."

hey bud.this is awesome,what more proof do these common ordinary sheeple need.n.a.s.a. never a STRAIGHT ANWSER.keep up what you are doing my friend.good job.painmaker214

"Common ordinary sheeple" don't believe in UFOs, or believe the official story of 9/11, or think Oswald killed JFK, etc.

Now, an uncommon, extraordinary person such as "painmaker214" know the TRUTH. Sure, he may be a major farkup in normal life, but that's due to the stupid, ignorant sheeple that get in his way.

Conspiracy theorist are better than everyone else because only they have access to a higher plane of thought...the rest of us are just sheep who dumbly follow the shepherd around.

I used to like keeping up with the latest conspiracy stuff but after I realized that many, many of the people who's work I was reading really thought they were better than everyone else it kind of took the fun out of it for me. I think what finally soured me to the conspiracy people was a graphic of a guy with his head stuck up his own ass...there really is a narcissistic quality to the hardcore conspiracy guy, or maybe it's what you call delusions of grandeur. Call it what you will I suppose.

I have an account at abovetopsecret.com. It's fun to point out their logical fallacies, plus there are a few people there who actually do think critically about whatever subject is being discussed.

Remember, when Lynndie England was accused of abusing and photographing detainees at a military detention center, the government ordered that personal cameras were not permitted in the facility and all pictures were to be turned over for further investigation.

BigNumber12: 11Casey: Rude Turnip: UFO conspiracy nuts are worse than birthers and should be marginalized in our society.

THIS. Let's marginalize anyone who doesn't agree with our viewpoints!

THIS. Let's legitimize every juvenile, uninformed opinion that appears on the internet. NASA should be addressing every shape that bored children citizens report seeing in clouds.

My God, what's with all the elitism on here? Who cares what other people believe? If people want to believe there are aliens, I DON'T farkING CARE! If people want to believe the President is a Muslin Kenyan, I DON'T farkING CARE! It's like people on FARK have to prove how smart and correct and perfect they are by trash talking others. If you know you're right, and you know you're better then them, you wouldn't even give them a second though.

But srsly, we get it. "I'm smart. I went to college. I support the establishment in every way, and I'm better than everyone else in the whole world cause mommy told me I was special." That's what the FARK main page should say, then just say "Done." underneath it.

Guess what, I went to college too, and I'm smart, but I also think people can believe whatever crazy, wild-eyed, racist, UFO-based, xenophobic, AGW denying stories they want to. I don't want to live in a world where everyone thinks and acts the exact same way, how boring would that be?

I, for one, love hearing all the crazy stories people come up with. It's great, and provides me hours of entertainment. Why it makes the FarkElite so angry, I'll leave up to an exercise to the reader.

Even though it looks a touch like a Star Destroyer pre jump-to-light-speed, it's no excuse for using a Star Wars-esque font on your Youtube exposé.

Well I don't think it is a streetlight.

King Keepo: Even though it looks a touch like a Star Destroyer pre jump-to-light-speed, it's no excuse for using a Star Wars-esque font on your Youtube exposé.

I NO RITE!

I want my aliens to have better technology than that.

I don't know what it is, but it's got great big -

NUTS! GET YOUR SALTED NUTS HERE!

Nhojwolfe: I always thought if nasa found life in space they would want to tell everyone. This would be a great reason for them to get a bigger budget and I dont know actually get a space shuttle that can fly in space again.

Yes, but the problem with your argument is that you're using logic to refute a conspiracy theory. Therefore, your argument is invalid.

For a second I thought, "Ah maybe SOHO is just in LEO and caught a glimpse of another satellite that it shouldn't see."

Then I checked SOHO's path, and it's at a LaGrange point between Earth and Sun. So unless we have space vehicles already dueling with aliens at LaGrange points, it can't be a military satellite methinks.

It is very strange looking, it could be a structure. It could also be a comet breaking up before its plunge. It could be a CME being back-illuminated. It could be bad pixels on SOHO. Lots of things it could be.

voodoowizard: [i.imgur.com image 640x284]
I miss that show.

solar flar, move on....

oh and yeah the birther thing, nevermind that the birth cert was proven to be a fake, nothing to see here.

SOHO went into 'Emergency Sun Reacquisition' mode

Emergency! We have LOST the Sun- repeat, we have LOST the Sun1!!

Maybe the Sun completely vanished for several minutes, and NASA doesn't want us to know!

Hunter_S_Thompson: BigNumber12: 11Casey: Rude Turnip: UFO conspiracy nuts are worse than birthers and should be marginalized in our society.

THIS. Let's marginalize anyone who doesn't agree with our viewpoints!

THIS. Let's legitimize every juvenile, uninformed opinion that appears on the internet. NASA should be addressing every shape that bored children citizens report seeing in clouds.

My God, what's with all the elitism on here? Who cares what other people believe? If people want to believe there are aliens, I DON'T farkING CARE! If people want to believe the President is a Muslin Kenyan, I DON'T farkING CARE! It's like people on FARK have to prove how smart and correct and perfect they are by trash talking others. If you know you're right, and you know you're better then them, you wouldn't even give them a second though.

But srsly, we get it. "I'm smart. I went to college. I support the establishment in every way, and I'm better than everyone else in the whole world cause mommy told me I was special." That's what the FARK main page should say, then just say "Done." underneath it.

Guess what, I went to college too, and I'm smart, but I also think people can believe whatever crazy, wild-eyed, racist, UFO-based, xenophobic, AGW denying stories they want to. I don't want to live in a world where everyone thinks and acts the exact same way, how boring would that be?

I, for one, love hearing all the crazy stories people come up with. It's great, and provides me hours of entertainment. Why it makes the FarkElite so angry, I'll leave up to an exercise to the reader.

Unfortunately, some conspiracy theories are taken seriously by people in power and used to pass laws, cause people to lose their jobs (ACORN), restrict funding to critical groups (Planned Parenthood), justify the ostrascism of ethnic groups, and generally waste people's time and money.

Johnathan Kay wrote a book called "Among the Truthers". I'd highly recommend everyone to read it. If I recall, it has a whole chapter of examples where real people are harmed by follies of conspiracy theories.

Has anyone mentioned that if this was a ship and it was actually in the ballpark area of the sun the friggin thing would be several times the size of earth?

Oznog: SOHO went into 'Emergency Sun Reacquisition' mode

Emergency! We have LOST the Sun- repeat, we have LOST the Sun1!!

Maybe the Sun completely vanished for several minutes, and NASA doesn't want us to know!

No way. NASA was testing SAL, the Sunlight Absorbing Laser. It's a laser they developed to absorb the sun's light. It's suppose to be used to destroy the solar system of a potential invading alien's home planet. They tested it during the night so no one on earth would know.

As the evidence mounts, you will get angrier knee-jerk skepticism.

Proximuscentauri: As the evidence mounts, you will get angrier knee-jerk skepticism.

What is the evidence mounting? ur mom?

That's some pretty big evidence too, if auralpleasure is right. She gonna be pretty bowlegged.

auralpleasure: [www.imagineeringezine.com image 640x358]

Has anyone mentioned that if this was a ship and it was actually in the ballpark area of the sun the friggin thing would be several times the size of earth?

Oooh, cool, it's not a star destroyer, it must be a death star then!

Oznog: Emergency! We have LOST the Sun- repeat, we have LOST the Sun1!!

It's okay! We found it! It was on the dresser the whole time... next to Jesus.

In other news, I found Jesus.

auralpleasure: [www.imagineeringezine.com image 640x358]

Has anyone mentioned that if this was a ship and it was actually in the ballpark area of the sun the friggin thing would be several times the size of earth?

But you've obviously taken your medication this morning. The poster of the "OMFG a GIANT UFO!" report has not. For a long time.

Let's look at this logically. There are trillions of stars in the universe and, presumably, billions or trillions of planets. Of these multitudes of planets, the odds of at least a few of them being in the habitable zone around their star are pretty good. The odds of there being life on at least some of those planets are also pretty good. The odds of intelligent life are smaller, but still fairly reasonable. The odds of intelligent life capable of space travel over long distances are somewhat smaller yet. The odds that said intelligent, space-faring life is close enough to Earth to make traveling here possible are even less. So, what are the odds that a planet in the habitable zone of it's star, relatively close to Earth, developed intelligent life capable of space travel, and of all the trillions of stars in the universe, they picked ours to harvest energy from? I didn't do well in statistics, so I really don't know. I'm guessing somewhere around 50/50, maybe 40/60.

auralpleasure: Has anyone mentioned that if this was a ship and it was actually in the ballpark area of the sun the friggin thing would be several times the size of earth?

mod3072: Let's look at this logically. There are trillions of stars in the universe and, presumably, billions or trillions of planets. Of these multitudes of planets, the odds of at least a few of them being in the habitable zone around their star are pretty good. The odds of there being life on at least some of those planets are also pretty good. The odds of intelligent life are smaller, but still fairly reasonable. The odds of intelligent life capable of space travel over long distances are somewhat smaller yet. The odds that said intelligent, space-faring life is close enough to Earth to make traveling here possible are even less. So, what are the odds that a planet in the habitable zone of it's star, relatively close to Earth, developed intelligent life capable of space travel, and of all the trillions of stars in the universe, they picked ours to harvest energy from? I didn't do well in statistics, so I really don't know. I'm guessing somewhere around 50/50, maybe 40/60.

i.e., the Drake equation.

you will all make excellent drones.

or recycled floor mats.

lol

SkunkWerks: I also think this all works much better to the tune of Star Wars.

Nice.

One fact that the drake Equation doesn't take into account:

Any life form sufficiently advance to be capable of interstellar travel is obviously significantly more advanced than human-kind. As such, they have either already been through their barbaric period of colonialism and exploitative acquisition, or were wise enough to avoid that period altogether. In either case, they have evolved enough to be able to pool their resources and develop what we have not: either a workable faster-than-light drive of some fashion, or the artificial intelligence/ personal longevity/ suspended animation necessary for interstellar exploration. In all of these cases, I think it's safe to assume that any such alien life form would study us from afar, and would amassed have plenty of knowledge of human arrogance, barbarism, and xenophobia. No way are they going to willingly make their selves known to us. To do so would demonstrate to us that space travel is indeed possible, and spur us into reaching for that capability, perhaps before we're culturally wise enough. After all, we are a war-like race, and seek to destroy anything we mistrust. Even our governments espouse this policy of paranoia.

Hunter_S_Thompson: Guess what, I went to college too, and I'm smart, but I also think people can believe whatever crazy, wild-eyed, racist, UFO-based, xenophobic, AGW denying stories they want to. I don't want to live in a world where everyone thinks and acts the exact same way, how boring would that be?

I, for one, love hearing all the crazy stories people come up with. It's great, and provides me hours of entertainment.

Agrees.
/adores UFO stuff
//if it ever goes real-time - gonna be the girl in Independence Day who rushes happily up to the rooftop - with the huge, glittery WELCOME poster
///sure I'll get vaporized - but those 2 seconds of pure ideological validated joy - will be worth it :-D

auralpleasure: www.imagineeringezine.com

Has anyone mentioned that if this was a ship and it was actually in the ballpark area of the sun the friggin thing would be several times the size of earth?

Uh oh.
Bummer.
That's NOT good.
Well, hopefully it doesn't suck up smallish, insignificant planets as fuel.

So that's why NASA retired the shuttles...

I kid, I kid. On a more serious note, do you guys recall the "Comet" that dove through the sun a few of months ago?
That object was ALSO bigger than Earth size. Let the speculation begin.
Was it really a "Comet", or something else?

SonOfSpam: i.e., the Drake equation.



The human race considers itself "intelligent" life, therefore,

It is an established fact that intelligent life CAN exist on a planet.

So, it is completely reasonable to conceive - that which is proven to exist in one place - COULD ALSO exist in another place.

The one planet - humans are familiar with - is home to a VAST assortment of life forms.

If THIS MANY life forms exist - on ONE PLANET - then the variety of potential forms of life possible - throughout an unknown number of universes - is unfathomable.

And potential variety within the defined concept of "intelligence life" is equally limitless.

A species not yet capable of - cataloging all life forms on it's own ONE planet or - thoroughly exploring even its own oceans or polar regions or - being clever enough to create needed technology to efficiently process and use the energy pumped out nonstop from its own sun or - the list goes endlessly on - is rather full of itself - to then speak as "a voice of authority" on ALL OF EXISTENCE.

"Speciesism" is merely "racism" all gussied up in it's Sunday go-to-meeting clothes!

/just sayin'

washington-babylon: So that's why NASA retired the shuttles...

I kid, I kid. On a more serious note, do you guys recall the "Comet" that dove through the sun a few of months ago?
That object was ALSO bigger than Earth size. Let the speculation begin.
Was it really a "Comet", or something else?

Comet Lovejoy was nowhere near Earth-sized; football-stadium-sized would be more like it. As for its being an actual comet or not, it not only looked and acted like a comet, but it followed the same orbit as a well-researched group of "sungrazing" comets.

Let the speculation end.

HAMMERTOE: One fact that the drake Equation doesn't take into account...

Another thing the Drake equation doesn't take into account: Knowable variables

That's the goddamned Event Horizon!

11Casey: Rude Turnip: UFO conspiracy nuts are worse than birthers and should be marginalized in our society.

THIS. Let's marginalize anyone who doesn't agree with our viewpoints!

No. Differing viewpoints is fine. Let's marginalize conspiracy theorists who refuse treatment for their psychological disorders.

Hunter_S_Thompson: My God, what's with all the elitism on here? Who cares what other people believe? If people want to believe there are aliens, I DON'T farkING CARE! If people want to believe the President is a Muslin Kenyan, I DON'T farkING CARE! It's like people on FARK have to prove how smart and correct and perfect they are by trash talking others. If you know you're right, and you know you're better then them, you wouldn't even give them a second though.

That's super that you are entertained and all. But these people cause real damage. And you encourage pretending mentally ill people's hallucinations are legitimate for your own amusement, yet call other people elitist?

Fark you. Fark you with an acid-tipped dick.

common sense is an oxymoron: washington-babylon: So that's why NASA retired the shuttles...

I kid, I kid. On a more serious note, do you guys recall the "Comet" that dove through the sun a few of months ago?
That object was ALSO bigger than Earth size. Let the speculation begin.
Was it really a "Comet", or something else?

Comet Lovejoy was nowhere near Earth-sized; football-stadium-sized would be more like it. As for its being an actual comet or not, it not only looked and acted like a comet, but it followed the same orbit as a well-researched group of "sungrazing" comets.

Let the speculation end.

Damn you, Common Sense! I was fishing here for pete's sake!

I actually am quite aware of the "sungrazers" and their actual size. I have a pretty nice (read: $8,000) home built brass refractor telescope that I use to support my amateur astronomy hobby, and I read up on all the latest and greatest finds. I was TRYING to concoct a scenario to bait the UFO-OMG-ALIENS crowd with.

/killjoy
//You sound like you may own a scope or three yourself.

WorthNoting: SonOfSpam: i.e., the Drake equation.



The human race considers itself "intelligent" life, therefore,

It is an established fact that intelligent life CAN exist on a planet.

So, it is completely reasonable to conceive - that which is proven to exist in one place - COULD ALSO exist in another place.

The one planet - humans are familiar with - is home to a VAST assortment of life forms.

If THIS MANY life forms exist - on ONE PLANET - then the variety of potential forms of life possible - throughout an unknown number of universes - is unfathomable.

And potential variety within the defined concept of "intelligence life" is equally limitless.

A species not yet capable of - cataloging all life forms on it's own ONE planet or - thoroughly exploring even its own oceans or polar regions or - being clever enough to create needed technology to efficiently process and use the energy pumped out nonstop from its own sun or - the list goes endlessly on - is rather full of itself - to then speak as "a voice of authority" on ALL OF EXISTENCE.

"Speciesism" is merely "racism" all gussied up in it's Sunday go-to-meeting clothes!

/just sayin'



Lighten up, Francis. Nobody said anything about "a voice of authority" on ALL OF EXISTENCE. We're just trying to figure stuff out as best we can.

And for everyone else out there, the secret is to bang the rocks together guys.

washington-babylon: common sense is an oxymoron: washington-babylon: So that's why NASA retired the shuttles...

I kid, I kid. On a more serious note, do you guys recall the "Comet" that dove through the sun a few of months ago?
That object was ALSO bigger than Earth size. Let the speculation begin.
Was it really a "Comet", or something else?

Comet Lovejoy was nowhere near Earth-sized; football-stadium-sized would be more like it. As for its being an actual comet or not, it not only looked and acted like a comet, but it followed the same orbit as a well-researched group of "sungrazing" comets.

Let the speculation end.

Damn you, Common Sense! I was fishing here for pete's sake!

I actually am quite aware of the "sungrazers" and their actual size. I have a pretty nice (read: $8,000) home built brass refractor telescope that I use to support my amateur astronomy hobby, and I read up on all the latest and greatest finds. I was TRYING to concoct a scenario to bait the UFO-OMG-ALIENS crowd with.

/killjoy
//You sound like you may own a scope or three yourself.

I didn't mean to scare the fish, and I do appreciate a good troll, but I also just revisited the Hale-Bopp/UFO/Heaven's Gate affair. What started out as an overeager amateur's honest mistake (although taking the evidence to Coast to Coast AM instead of the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams was a curious choice) ended up killing 39 people, and my tolerance of junk science is a bit low.

I've owned several scopes, and a top-quality, long-focus Newtonian (probably a custom primary with off-the-shelf hardware and mount) is on the "must have" list once I'm working again. I love a good refractor, but they aren't exactly portable in larger apertures.

common sense is an oxymoron: washington-babylon: common sense is an oxymoron: washington-babylon: So that's why NASA retired the shuttles...

I kid, I kid. On a more serious note, do you guys recall the "Comet" that dove through the sun a few of months ago?
That object was ALSO bigger than Earth size. Let the speculation begin.
Was it really a "Comet", or something else?

Comet Lovejoy was nowhere near Earth-sized; football-stadium-sized would be more like it. As for its being an actual comet or not, it not only looked and acted like a comet, but it followed the same orbit as a well-researched group of "sungrazing" comets.

Let the speculation end.

Damn you, Common Sense! I was fishing here for pete's sake!

I actually am quite aware of the "sungrazers" and their actual size. I have a pretty nice (read: $8,000) home built brass refractor telescope that I use to support my amateur astronomy hobby, and I read up on all the latest and greatest finds. I was TRYING to concoct a scenario to bait the UFO-OMG-ALIENS crowd with.

/killjoy
//You sound like you may own a scope or three yourself.

I didn't mean to scare the fish, and I do appreciate a good troll, but I also just revisited the Hale-Bopp/UFO/Heaven's Gate affair. What started out as an overeager amateur's honest mistake (although taking the evidence to Coast to Coast AM instead of the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams was a curious choice) ended up killing 39 people, and my tolerance of junk science is a bit low.

I've owned several scopes, and a top-quality, long-focus Newtonian (probably a custom primary with off-the-shelf hardware and mount) is on the "must have" list once I'm working again. I love a good refractor, but they aren't exactly portable in larger apertures.

Not exactly portable is the NICE way to put it. A real pain to lug around and set up, but fun to use. I currently have to repair my wooden tripod, as it received some damage in a recent move and broke a mounting block for one of the legs.
Don't worry about the fish, they are always hungry so I will just change locations :)

/Have fun!