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Cables From The Sky

I have a vague recollection that someone might have suggested that there was a kite, or a balloon, or some combination of the two at the other end. The catenary curve of a hanging line might have disguised the position of such an object in the sky, so the people looking for it with binoculars might have been looking in the wrong place.
 
I have a vague recollection that someone might have suggested that there was a kite, or a balloon, or some combination of the two at the other end. The catenary curve of a hanging line might have disguised the position of such an object in the sky, so the people looking for it with binoculars might have been looking in the wrong place.
Good Point. The balloon, or whatever, would actually be higher in the sky than the direction indicated by the lower, visible, part of the cable.

Wind shear at different altitudes could also add to the confusion!
 
Friend of mine rang the other day, he and his wife had just come back from
a cruse, one early morning about 2:30 they were on deck the the wife says
what is that, he described it as 3 ropes going from the top of the bridge
straight up parallel to each other and disappearing up into the sky, he had
no idea of what it could be and the ship was miles from anywhere, must ask
if he got any pics but he never mentioned any.
 
Friend of mine rang the other day, he and his wife had just come back from
a cruse, one early morning about 2:30 they were on deck the the wife says
what is that, he described it as 3 ropes going from the top of the bridge
straight up parallel to each other and disappearing up into the sky, he had
no idea of what it could be and the ship was miles from anywhere, must ask
if he got any pics but he never mentioned any.
3 ropes disappearing up into the sky? Ropes? And they couldn't see the far ends?
 
Woah, that reminds me of a weird story I read ages ago about strange "ropes" appearing in the sky, not attached to anything. This would be... 1970s maybe? Sorry this is vague, but has anyone heard of that, could it be a natural phenomenon?
 
Next time we talk I will ask more about it, the ropes just looked like they were connected
to the ship and something above but there was nothing above and the other end just dissapeard
out of sight straight up, or that is how I understood it, I to remember something like it but
being reported on tv I think but it's a wile ago. I thought they were seeing some sort of
strange electrical discharge, big ships use satellite communications and at the time the aurora
was active so maybe something to do with that, strange what ever it was.
When I say ropes that is what they looked like what they actually were is a misery.

Another thing I thought about, sometime under just the right conditions if you look
at a jet leaving contrails you also see a traile projected from the front of the aircraft
this I think is some sort of shadow effect but I did wounder if this is something similer
being projected from say ariels on the ship.
 
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Another thing I thought about, sometime under just the right conditions if you look
at a jet leaving contrails you also see a traile projected from the front of the aircraft
this I think is some sort of shadow effect but I did wounder if this is something similer
being projected from say ariels on the ship.
I wondered if it might be some sort of effect from being somewhere dark but with bright light sources, just as you would have on a ship. There must be long straight bits, railings etc that could cause shadows as you describe.
 
I wondered if it might be some sort of effect from being somewhere dark but with bright light sources, just as you would have on a ship. There must be long straight bits, railings etc that could cause shadows as you describe.

That's a highly technical description there.
How good to have a genuinely knowledgeable seafarer on board at last! :D
 
Next time we talk I will ask more about it, the ropes just looked like they were connected
to the ship and something above but there was nothing above and the other end just dissapeard
out of sight straight up, or that is how I understood it, I to remember something like it but
being reported on tv I think but it's a wile ago. I thought they were seeing some sort of
strange electrical discharge, big ships use satellite communications and at the time the aurora
was active so maybe something to do with that, strange what ever it was.
When I say ropes that is what they looked like what they actually were is a misery.

Another thing I thought about, sometime under just the right conditions if you look
at a jet leaving contrails you also see a traile projected from the front of the aircraft
this I think is some sort of shadow effect but I did wounder if this is something similer
being projected from say ariels on the ship.
I found this pic:
glow-worm-15-e1341456322472.jpg

https://sweeneyseas.com/2012/07/05/st-elmos-fire/
 
I bet that's what they saw I will send it to them and see what they think.
 
Friend of mine rang the other day, he and his wife had just come back from
a cruse, one early morning about 2:30 they were on deck the the wife says
what is that, he described it as 3 ropes going from the top of the bridge
straight up parallel to each other and disappearing up into the sky, . . .

Sounds like too many cocktails to me. You know what those cruises can be like! :wink2:
 
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