During the last days, a video shared by the NASA He has aroused curiosity – and imagination – of thousands of users on social networks. The images show what seems to be a Huge dark orb moving near the sunwhich has been interpreted by some as an sighting of a unidentified flying object (UFO). The reality, however, is much more earthly, although not less surprising from the astronomical point of view.
The video was captured by the GOES-16 satellite (or Goes-East), operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the USA (NOA)in collaboration with NASA, and is part of the daily records that observe solar activity in different wavelengths. In one of these clips, you can see a Perfectly circular shadow that slowly crosses the face of the sun, causing a wave of speculation about its origin.
What scientists have explained, however, is that it is a “lunar transit”: that is, The passage of the moon between the satellite and the sunsomething that, although not visible from the earth, can be registered by spatial instruments. It is a known and documented astronomical phenomenon, but that usually goes unnoticed outside scientific circles.
Why did it viralize as a “mysterious orb?
The technical explanation was not enough to stop the avalanche of alternative interpretations. Specialized accounts in space and ‘conspiracies’ shared the clip, some of them pointing out that “The object seemed to stop, approach the sun and then disappear”something that does not happen with a normal lunar traffic. These statements, however, lack technical support and respond more to the way in which the human mind tries Interpret visual patterns that does not understand immediately.
In addition, the perfectly circular and dark form of the orb, added to NASA’s institutional silence beyond sharing the video, fed theories about alleged extraterrestrial visits or “unknown technology” interacting with our star.
What does science say about this type of phenomena
Experts such as those of the Spaceweather Specialized Portal and NOAA themselves have reiterated that this type of transition They are part of the astronomical calendarand they even allow to measure parameters such as lunar orbit and the activity of the sun. It is not the first time that an event is recorded like this: in 2016, a similar video also caused great stir and was subsequently confirmed as another lunar transit.
He Visual effecthowever, it continues to fascinate for its beauty and rarity. From the perspective of a geostationary satellite such as GOES-16, the passage of the moon may seem like a unknown object furrowing the solar spacewhich, without context, is surprising even for the trained eye.
A visual effect that connects science and curiosity
The massive diffusion of these images is another sample of Popular interest in spaceastronomical phenomena and science in general. Although many times the enthusiasm is channeled through conspiracy theories, these episodes also serve as a starting point for Explain complex scientific concepts and bring technical knowledge closer to the general public.
In short, what began as a simple capture of GOES-16 has ended up being a viral phenomenon that highlights one thing: even in advanced technology times, The universe continues to have the ability to be amazed.
Related news :