Space images manage to capture something else aside from the original subject. While a lot of people would assume an odd-looking spec is related to aliens, most of the time, it's not. In fact, NASA always has an explanation to anything found in one of their space images.
Recently, NASA's Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (Stereo) produced some images that included Earth and Venus. Its HI2 telescope captured a nifty view of the planets when a strange object the shape of a wheel appeared. Aliens? Unfortunately for UFO aficionados, it's not.
Many doubts about this video: a huge UFO spotted in our solar system by STEREO camera in the last ten days of February? Nope, that object is a recurring image artifact caused by internal reflections of a planet. pic.twitter.com/38gqImaxoA — ufoofinterest.org (@ufoofinterest) March 7, 2020
The mysterious object, which UFO of Interest recently debunked, was apparently just a reflection. It's a "recurring image artifact caused by internal reflections of a planet" and confirmed it as so in an update made Friday on the Stereo website.
"The strange-looking geometrical 'object' is actually an internal reflection of the planet Venus within the telescope optics," NASA wrote.
The light artifact, appearing in the shape of a steering wheel, appears in several images captured by Stereo. You can also find the reflection in images of Earth, Venus, and the Lagoon Nebula captured March 12.
We could easily understand why a casual observer would think the odd space blip is something that's not of Earth. After all, it sort of looks like the Deep Space Nine space station from the Star Trek movies.
The entire planet is currently problematic with the ongoing pandemic, but luckily, we can make use of our time and get out of boredom by flipping through some space images.
If you're not so keen on looking at Stereo's images, you can always take a look at other space images online, like this new view of Jupiter NASA released earlier this month via the Juno mission.
"While the universe's most common elements, hydrogen, and helium, make up most of Jupiter's mass, the striking clouds that are visible at the top of its atmosphere are composed mostly of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide," NASA said on March 13.
Jupiter's atmosphere is tumultuous, but you wouldn't even notice there's a huge storm going on looking at the photos.
Juno launched in 2011 and has since resided in Jupiter since 2016. It's NASA's way of studying the gigantic planet, which has been sending images and valuable data essential to scientists.
You can always visit the Stereo image artifacts page for more fun with internal reflections. You might as well do something productive while under quarantine.
