BenLooksUp
New Member
Hello, I've been looking online for something similar without success.
I know there are frame or letter shaped novelty helium balloons, but this seemed more "hefty" and elaborate.
If anyone has any idea about what this could be I would gladly appreciate it because I'm stumped.
My parents, brother and me were discussing on my parents' condo balcony (2nd floor) on the fine, sunny late afternoon (~17:30h) of August 15 when we spotted a distant enough, very shiny object coming toward us roughly from SE (in the direction of Montréal, from our vantage point on the north shore, in Ville Lorraine). At first, we thought it was a foil balloon catching the sun while tumbling in the wind. But soon enough, we realized that the object in question was more stable and faster than anticipated. It also seemed to emit it's own bursts of white light. Unfortunately, no one had a phone or camera close at hand, but my mom had a pair of binoculars within reach in the kitchen (amateur birdwatcher). She took a look for about 30 to 40 seconds than passed me the binoculars and I could observe it for perhaps 30 seconds before we lost it as it went over the house roughly heading NW. The whole event lasted only a few minutes.
Now, my Blender skills are rudimentary at best, but here's an approximation of what I saw (more details after the picture):
What I know for sure:
- Rectangular with rounded corners (More angular than some of the capital "O" party balloons, like perhaps the shape of a smartphone)
- Hole in the middle (like a rectangular donut)
- Highly reflective
- Black stripe surrounding it
- Rectangular things resembling yellow trailer or car reflectors around it (placement not accurate in the render - I took some artistic liberties)
- Very bright bursts of white light coming off the yellow rectangles on the perimeter. Like camera flashes.
- Some sort of slightly curved tail. Dangling, but not flapping around, so maybe rigid or semi-rigid.
Apparently semi translucent with segments inside (segments not rendered above).
Possibly self illuminating or catching the sunlight between the segments (looked vaguely like very dimmed white LEDs inside a silicone tube)
- No sound
- Didn't see any propeller or engine (nothing like a quad copter)
- Semi erratic pitch, roll and yaw movements but not randomly tumbling about.
What I'm less sure about:
- It's dimension, and altitude? My gut feeling tells me it was at least 5 foot long, at several hundred feet...
But maybe it was higher and as big as a car? Hard to tell.
- Carried by the wind or self propelled? Reported wind speed for that day was 18 km/h blowing from East. This thing seemed to travel much faster than that to me.
- Inflated or solid? Can't tell for sure, but mirror finish.
- Were the white flashes reflected or emitted from the yellow rectangles? My gut says emitted, but who knows, maybe these are super reflective head on.
- Exact attachment point of the "tail" - Seemed near a corner to me but not 100% sure (could be in the center)
Thanks,
Ben
I know there are frame or letter shaped novelty helium balloons, but this seemed more "hefty" and elaborate.
If anyone has any idea about what this could be I would gladly appreciate it because I'm stumped.
My parents, brother and me were discussing on my parents' condo balcony (2nd floor) on the fine, sunny late afternoon (~17:30h) of August 15 when we spotted a distant enough, very shiny object coming toward us roughly from SE (in the direction of Montréal, from our vantage point on the north shore, in Ville Lorraine). At first, we thought it was a foil balloon catching the sun while tumbling in the wind. But soon enough, we realized that the object in question was more stable and faster than anticipated. It also seemed to emit it's own bursts of white light. Unfortunately, no one had a phone or camera close at hand, but my mom had a pair of binoculars within reach in the kitchen (amateur birdwatcher). She took a look for about 30 to 40 seconds than passed me the binoculars and I could observe it for perhaps 30 seconds before we lost it as it went over the house roughly heading NW. The whole event lasted only a few minutes.
Now, my Blender skills are rudimentary at best, but here's an approximation of what I saw (more details after the picture):
What I know for sure:
- Rectangular with rounded corners (More angular than some of the capital "O" party balloons, like perhaps the shape of a smartphone)
- Hole in the middle (like a rectangular donut)
- Highly reflective
- Black stripe surrounding it
- Rectangular things resembling yellow trailer or car reflectors around it (placement not accurate in the render - I took some artistic liberties)
- Very bright bursts of white light coming off the yellow rectangles on the perimeter. Like camera flashes.
- Some sort of slightly curved tail. Dangling, but not flapping around, so maybe rigid or semi-rigid.
Apparently semi translucent with segments inside (segments not rendered above).
Possibly self illuminating or catching the sunlight between the segments (looked vaguely like very dimmed white LEDs inside a silicone tube)
- No sound
- Didn't see any propeller or engine (nothing like a quad copter)
- Semi erratic pitch, roll and yaw movements but not randomly tumbling about.
What I'm less sure about:
- It's dimension, and altitude? My gut feeling tells me it was at least 5 foot long, at several hundred feet...
But maybe it was higher and as big as a car? Hard to tell.
- Carried by the wind or self propelled? Reported wind speed for that day was 18 km/h blowing from East. This thing seemed to travel much faster than that to me.
- Inflated or solid? Can't tell for sure, but mirror finish.
- Were the white flashes reflected or emitted from the yellow rectangles? My gut says emitted, but who knows, maybe these are super reflective head on.
- Exact attachment point of the "tail" - Seemed near a corner to me but not 100% sure (could be in the center)
Thanks,
Ben