Unidentified Flying Objects

Ed. Note: We couldn’t really decide if this was a joke or a serious identification request, but nonetheless, we find it most amusing.

picture of unidentiifed flying bug
April 16, 2010
I have lots of these photos in about the same quality. Usually they are stills taken from movies (digital camera).
I have tried enlarging them but they are so fuzzy I can’t make them out. I got your name from rzapolin.
Can you clear up the image(s)?
Thanks for any help!
Jim Ruff
Salt Lake City, Utah and Sacramento, CA

Dear Jim,
Insects generally have six legs and four wings.  Your Unidentified Flying Objects are more cigar and saucer shaped without appendages.  We hope these images are not classified.

Amazing service – thank you! Here is more info, and another question
Howdy Daniel,
Wow, thanks for the great customer service!  Prompt, professional, courteous.
I have dozens of these pictures – usually taken from videos of about 1 minute in duration or less.  The pictures were taken in my backyard, in a friend’s backyard, or on a public trail.
I have one in particular which is posted on Youtube, but I was told they are raindrops hitting the lens.
You are the only one who has said flat out that these are saucers.  Everyone else has said they are insects of some type.   May I ask how you are able to make that distinction?  I happen to know you are correct, but I am most curious as to how you arrived at that conclusion when supposedly ‘professional’ investigators from very well-known organizations said they are simply bugs.
Is there any way to clear up these images to be able to see the saucer or cigar shape?
Thanks again for your great service – I truly appreciate it.  Feel free to call me directly if you are so inclined.
Jim

Dear Jim,
We would never be so presumptuous to claim that life, possibly even intelligent life, could not exist somewhere in the vastness of space, but we are really not qualified to analyze your imagery as to authenticity or proof of an extraterrestrial visitation.  We are competent enough at photography to know that photographs can be staged, and since we are enormous fans of the Antonioni film Blow-Up, we also know that it is possible to see what one wants to see in an image.  With that stated, we would also like to take the opportunity to share our own sighting with our readership.  The image here was taken in 1996 when we worked at the Griffith Observatory, and it is printed directly from an original negative with no darkroom manipulation or any postproduction alterations.  Enjoy.

At the time this image was reproduced in the 1997 Casual Observer calendar, subtitled 13 months of casually observing, it ran with the caption:  “The photo staff is captured on film as they attempt to capture on film an event nonpareil, the coming of aliens to the Hall of Science.  Later, the L.G.M. were apprehended after breaking into the Table of Elements and brought down to the ranger station for questioning and torture.”  Limited editions of the monthly publication The Casual Observer as well as the commemorative calendar are considered highly collectible in some circles.