I cannot figure out what I saw in this picture, help me

In summary, the conversation discusses a strange light phenomenon witnessed in Monterrey, Mexico. The OP believes it may be a diffraction or refraction of light, but others suggest it could be a reflection of lights from inside a building. Some speculate it could be hot-air paper sky-lanterns or flares, while others question the authenticity of the photos. The conversation ends with the conclusion that the lights are likely a reflection of interior lighting off of glass.
  • #1
Armando Valle
28
0
Hi everyone, 2 days ago at 10am in Monterrey Mexico i looked at the sky and saw this strange lights, and i want to know what are they. Can some astronomer help me figure out what are they? Note: These things are not product of the lens of the camera, i saw them with my own eyes. My deduction is that they are some diffraction or refraction of light and they focus in singular points, just like light pillars.
WhatsApp Image 2017-06-03 at 10.38.28 PM.jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2017-06-03 at 10.38.49 PM.jpeg
 
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  • #2
How did they behave? Were they moving? Did they change in intensity or blink or anything?
 
  • #3
No, they were just stationary. They disappeared like 10 min after staying there.
 
  • #4
Light from some ceiling lamps? Is that glass between you and the outside?
 
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  • #5
guywithdoubts said:
Light from some ceiling lamps? Is that glass between you and the outside?

Theres no glass, there no medium between me and the lights
 
  • #6
To me it looks like a multiple reflection as there are at least two, eventually three more or less identical constellations. Maybe some (temperature) layers in the air reflected the lights from those on the mountain or from somewhere else.
 
  • #7
Can you link us to a full resolution version of the photo?
 
  • #8
russ_watters said:
Can you link us to a full resolution version of the photo?
here it is https://pixady.com/image/toi
 
  • #9
russ_watters said:
Can you link us to a full resolution version of the photo?
Here is another link http://extrazoom.com/image-87023.html
 
  • #10
As well as the apparent lights in the sky, there are bright objects on the mountain in a roughly similar pattern.
Do you know what those lights on the ground are?, could they be related?
 
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  • #11
rootone said:
As well as the apparent lights in the sky, there are bright objects on the mountain in a roughly similar pattern.
Do you know what those lights on the ground are?, could they be related?

They are more lights, but there is an illusion that they are in the mountain, but they are not on ground.
 
  • #12
Did they fade after dark? We saw something similar in New Zealand last year, it turned out to be Google balloons, they had launched 8 of them from south of us. What was amazing was that they stayed in formation and looked stationary. They faded as the sun went down which gave us the clue.

Cheers
 
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  • #13
Is there a military base nearby? They look like flares.
 
  • #14
I say flares or your camera, do you have other photos?
 
  • #15
Did they have the same color tone as sunlight? Could you get someone to walk to the far side of the overpass (rt40) and hold up a mirror? See if reflected sunlight looks the same. Try again on the far side of the river (also rt40?). Use cell phones so that (s)he knows if you got the photo. Might be worth trying with both a small hand held mirror, a large mirror, and something like a mylar balloon or aluminum foil.

It looks like a bright triangle is sticking out of the left side of the mountain. On my laptop screen that washes out to the same whiteness as the points.

If you force the camera to focus on bright objects your picture darkens. Making it focus on bright objects like a cloud will create dimmer photos. On manual cameras you can adjust the aperture.
 
  • #16
It was likely a flight of those hot-air paper sky-lantern-balloon things, or something similar. That would explain why they faded after 10 mins- parafin fuel runs out, flame dies, balloon falls back to earth. Those things will only fly to a certain altitude, til they reach bouyant equilibrium, then fly no higher, til their flame goes out.
 
  • #17
Armando Valle said:
My deduction is that they are some diffraction or refraction of light...
Maybe so ?... here's a guess ... and here ... and here .
 
  • #19
Kenneth DeMaio said:
I say flares or your camera, do you have other photos?

he said he could see them visually without the camera ... he had already discounted lens flare etc
 
  • #20
1404412835.jpg


Is that the same lights on the right side of the picture? This photo was taken inside atrium club empresarial, monterrey mexico. I suspect guywithdoubts may be on to something.
 
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  • #21
stefan r said:
This photo was taken inside atrium club empresarial, monterrey mexico.
Another one... ?
 
Last edited:
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  • #22
Same one, but Google+ ... left click in photo you can zoom with mouse wheel.
Left click to drag it around.
 
Last edited:
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  • #23
OCR said:
Another one... ?

This entire thing is just the reflection of interior lighting off of glass. You can see the same 2 patterns of lights in the OP's images and the ones OCR linked. There's a 5-light pattern that appears numerous times from ceiling lighting, and then there's a faint pattern of small streaks that run just above the peak of the mountain.

I don't know if the OP was intentionally hoaxing us or not, but this thread is done.

Thread locked.
 
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Related to I cannot figure out what I saw in this picture, help me

What should I do if I cannot figure out what I saw in the picture?

If you cannot figure out what you saw in the picture, the first thing you should do is take a deep breath and try to relax. Sometimes our brains can get overwhelmed when trying to process new information. Take a break and come back to the picture later with fresh eyes.

Why is it difficult for me to figure out what I saw in the picture?

There could be a few reasons why it is difficult for you to figure out what you saw in the picture. It could be due to the complexity of the image, the quality of the image, or your own personal biases and experiences that may affect how you interpret the picture. Additionally, visual perception is a complex process and sometimes our brains can make mistakes or fill in missing information.

Should I ask for help if I cannot figure out what I saw in the picture?

Yes, it is always a good idea to ask for help if you are having trouble figuring out what you saw in a picture. Sometimes a fresh perspective or a different set of eyes can help you see things that you may have missed. You could also try describing the picture to someone else and see if they have any insights or suggestions.

What are some strategies I can use to help me figure out what I saw in the picture?

There are a few strategies you can use to help you figure out what you saw in a picture. First, try breaking down the image into smaller parts and analyzing each part individually. You could also try looking at the picture from different angles or distances. Additionally, you can try doing some research to gather more information about the subject matter of the picture, which may give you some context and help you make sense of what you are seeing.

Is it possible that I may never figure out what I saw in the picture?

It is possible that you may never figure out what you saw in the picture, and that's okay. Sometimes pictures can be open to interpretation and may mean different things to different people. It's important to remember that there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to interpreting art or images. Instead of focusing on finding a definitive answer, try to enjoy the process of exploring and analyzing the picture.

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