Mosul "Sphere"

[John J.]

Weather balloons are typically latex due to elasticity and burst resistance.

Specular highlight suggests a metallic sphere, such as metal-coated mylar.

The Mosul sphere looks metallic, like e.g. a metalized Mylar party balloon:

But so do these Second World War balloons, which predate BoPET by over a decade:
Top photo courtesy of Alamy stock image website; a balloon used by a German artillery battalion, 1940.
Lower photo, balloons to deliver propaganda leaflets.

There's been a bit of balloon-spotting and various theories involving balloons in the threads
Silver Orbs reported over Berlin in WWII, and
Middle East 2022 MQ-9 Observed Apparent Spherical UAP (via AARO)
where this image was posted by @deirdre,

Aleppo is in Syria, but we've seen that Mylar party balloons were available in Iraq, even during troubled times.

Equally, I wonder if we're making a mistake in assuming the Mosul sphere, if it is a balloon, is a Mylar balloon.
The WW2 photos seem to show that pre-BoPET balloons, probably latex, can appear to be reflective and have bright spots in the right lighting conditions.
Maybe Iraqi (pro-government) artillery used balloons.

 

[JMartJr]

Equally, I wonder if we're making a mistake in assuming the Mosul sphere, if it is a balloon, is a Mylar balloon.
The WW2 photos seem to show that pre-BoPET balloons, probably latex, can appear to be reflective and have bright spots in the right lighting conditions.

Yeah, I'm not sure how we'd distinguish a smooth grey balloon from a Mylar balloon, given such limited imagery and a lack of distinctive shape.

 

[Eburacum]

Mylar balloons are often lenticular, with a circular seam. This is because they are made from two roughly circular sides.

The Mosul sphere looks more like a grey latex balloon, almost completely spherical.

 

[Mick West]

In the sitch the sun highlight for a simulated sphere in the same position (based on the on-screen numbers, for date, time, location, heading) is in exactly the same position as in the video. This strongly suggests it is a very near-perfect sphere, at least the top half.

I think the elongation in the direction of travel is from motion blur.

 

[JMartJr]

The Mosul sphere looks more like a grey latex balloon, almost completely spherical.

To my eye, something very similar to one of these:

AULE Black Metallic Balloons 12 inch 50 Pcs Black Latex Balloons Chrome Helium Shiny Thicken Balloon Perfect Party Decoration for Happy Birthday Bridal Shower Graduation

Source: https://www.amazon.com/AULE-Metallic-Balloons-Decoration-Graduation/dp/B096RRB8Z6/


Edit to add this bit of text that I missed from the link above... but just noticed:

Please Note: After the balloon is fully inflated, the color is not like ordinary black latex balloons, but high-grade space gray with a metallic texture, unique design balloon for party

Just found the term "space grey" interesting as a descriptor for a possible UFO-mistaken balloon.

 

[Eburacum]

Black balloons at a wedding? Who's getting married - goths?

 

[John J.]

 

[flarkey]

Black balloons at a wedding? Who's getting married - goths?

Black is quite popular for brides in the middle East.