Triplet UFOs (digital thermal footage) [Looks Like Birds]

[Chacra]

This reddit post by user louthegoon claims to have captured 3 UFOs on a thermal camera. Video from reddit attached for reference.


Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/1h4qo3e/triplet_ufo_digital_thermal_footage


louthegoon says:

Viewed on December 1st at 11:04pm in Pacifica California. The camera is the Pulsar Axion 2 XG35

Here is footage of three heat-objects flying in a triangle formation. If you watch closely you can see the three heat-objects rotate while maintaining formation and distance from one another. The objects then change their formation to a line, and reverse direction eventually flying west over the ocean. Before the objects disappear from view, one breaks off to the left of the plane while two fly to the right. Sorry again for the shakey footage.

louthegoon refers to them as "heat-objects" which to me implies that white = hot and black = cold in the mode that they shot this video with.

I'm hoping someone with more expertise in the video/thermal field can explain why both the clouds and the flying objects are white. I'm confused by this because I thought that clouds were mostly water vapor and ice crystals which should be cold or colder than the "heat-objects". I tried to Google what temperature are clouds but all I could find was information on how clouds affect temperature in the environment not specifically what their average temperature could be.

This 30 clip from the camera manufacturer demonstrates the detail in temperature difference the camera is capable of which seems to be lacking in the reddit video


Source: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K6wKqKl4mYs


thanks in advance. im interestes in everyone's thoughts

 

[Mauro]

Birds

 

[Ann K]

@Chacra, watch it again. They're flapping their wings.

 

[NorCal Dave]

As @Mauro said above, these really look like birds. You can even see what appears to be flapping motions at around the 00:15 mark in the zoomed in window. The supposed "formation" looks just like 3 birds flying with each other changing positions as they go.

At the risk of reviving an older thread, this was filmed on the coast of Central/Northern California:

And right now, it's duck season in California because all of the Northern species are here this time of year, including Sea Ducks:

Cormorants also fly in duck or goose like patterns and live at sea:


Source: https://youtu.be/iFoYoo8YwCk?si=QkbyiepOVYDUBhrI

 

[MyMatesBrainwashed]

Chacra has not asked for birds to be identified as birds.

Chacra is asking why the clouds are white when clouds are cold.

I'm hoping someone with more expertise in the video/thermal field can explain why both the clouds and the flying objects are white. I'm confused by this because I thought that clouds were mostly water vapor and ice crystals which should be cold or colder than the "heat-objects".

I don't know so can't answer them but it's not a bad question and I'd imagine someone here can answer it.

 

[boguesuser]

Thermal cameras will auto adjust the contrast based on what they are looking at.

Space is pretty damn cold so clouds look warm in comparison.


My comment is invisible until approved by moderators. I have a feeling someone else will answer the question by the time that happens.

 

[NorCal Dave]

Chacra is asking why the clouds are white when clouds are cold.

Good point. When the title is "claim of triplet UFO digital thermal footage" we tend to look at the "claimed UFO".

 

[Ann K]

Chacra has not asked for birds to be identified as birds.

Chacra is asking why the clouds are white when clouds are cold.


I don't know so can't answer them but it's not a bad question and I'd imagine someone here can answer it.

The background is looking up into the sky, that is, looking up into space, which is extremely cold. Clouds (even ones which are icy) and birds are warm by comparison.

 

[FatPhil]

Thermal cameras will auto adjust the contrast based on what they are looking at.

Space is pretty damn cold so clouds look warm in comparison.


My comment is invisible until approved by moderators. I have a feeling someone else will answer the question by the time that happens.

Welcome! Don't worry, the initial moderation period doesn't last very long at all, it's basically there to detect/prevent bots.

You're indeed right, if you can see it, space is cold - we've been having a bit of a discussion about this very matter just this last week: https://www.metabunk.org/threads/what-things-look-like-in-ir.13783/

 

[Mauro]

Chacra has not asked for birds to be identified as birds.

Oh my, you're reason! My bad. Even if I'd notice the title of the thread is quite misleading (Claim: Triplet UFO).

 

[Chacra]

thank you everyone for contributing. I see now that the thread title and my actual question kind of wandered in different directions. I apologize for the confusion and will do better to keep the topic and questions aligned.

as for the thermal camera piece. that makes sense space as far as I understand it is quite cold. I guess I was just overthinking it.

 

[Mendel]

thank you everyone for contributing. I see now that the thread title and my actual question kind of wandered in different directions. I apologize for the confusion and will do better to keep the topic and questions aligned.

Moderation will reword thread titles if they're unclear, I wouldn't worry about that. I do like that your thread starter post was clear and gave a lot of information even beyond the sighting itself, so that was perfect.

(Edit: I should probably add that most Metabunk threads go off topic sooner or later, that's just a fact of life.)

as for the thermal camera piece. that makes sense space as far as I understand it is quite cold. I guess I was just overthinking it.

I'd say you were simply thinking: you tried to understand it yourself in the first place (which you've now succeeded at), but did not jump to a conclusion; and you asked for input when you hit a dead end. We've all done that, and I think it exemplifies the skeptical approach to understanding the world.
As you can see, we're always happy to support that!