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The Cause of the Cloud: Difference between revisions
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==The Scientific Explanation== | ==The Scientific Explanation== | ||
On February 28, 1963, a thrust assisted Thor rocket was launched from pad 75-3-5 at Vandenburg Air Force | On February 28, 1963, a thrust assisted Thor rocket was launched from pad 75-3-5 at Vandenburg Air Force Base in California carrying a Keyhole 4 military surveillance satellite.<ref>http://www.astronautix.com/thisday/febary28.htm</ref> The rocket started to veer off course and was intentionally destroyed<ref>http://www.friends-partners.org/partners/mwade/lvs/tatgenad.htm</ref> at an altitude of 44 kilometers (144,000 feet) at 1:52pm.<ref>McDonald, Dr. James E, Cloud-Ring in the Upper Stratosphere, ''Weatherwise'', June 1963, Page 100</ref> | ||
[[Image:NasaMakesACloud.jpg|thumb|370px|In March 2012 NASA made some clouds in the morning sky with a shape and height similar to the February 1963 cloud.]] | [[Image:NasaMakesACloud.jpg|thumb|370px|In March 2012 NASA made some clouds in the morning sky with a shape and height similar to the February 1963 cloud.]] | ||
The cloud was investigated by Dr. James F. MacDonald in a number of published scientific reports. Dr. MacDonald is famous for his investigations of UFO's, yet | The cloud was investigated by Dr. James F. MacDonald in a number of published scientific reports. Dr. MacDonald is famous for his investigations of UFO's, yet was senior physicist at the Institute for Atmospheric Physics and professor in the Department of Meteorology, University of Arizona, Tucson. | ||
Dr. MacDonald never published a final report on the cloud. Why? It is likely that he lost interest in the cloud as he arrived at a likely explanation of the cloud that was not particularly interesting, i.e. the explosion of the rocket. As an individual who criticized the scientific community for ignoring phenomena that defied interpretation by conventional science, it is extremely unlikely that he would have failed to publish a final report on the cloud simply because he could not explain it. | Dr. MacDonald never published a final report on the cloud. Why? It is likely that he lost interest in the cloud as he arrived at a likely explanation of the cloud that was not particularly interesting, i.e. the explosion of the rocket. As an individual who criticized the scientific community for ignoring phenomena that defied interpretation by conventional science, it is extremely unlikely that he would have failed to publish a final report on the cloud simply because he could not explain it. | ||
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The fact that rocket launches were seen as the cause of similar clouds appearing shortly after the Cloud appeared was also confirmed by scientists. For example: | The fact that rocket launches were seen as the cause of similar clouds appearing shortly after the Cloud appeared was also confirmed by scientists. For example: | ||
:'''Abstract''' - A bright noctilucent cloud was observed and photographed | :'''Abstract''' - A bright noctilucent cloud was observed and photographed northwest of Tucson on 15 June 1963. Results of computations indicate that the cloud was at a height of 71 kilometers. The cloud appears to have resulted from the launching of a Scout space vehicle. <ref> [http://www.sciencemag.org/content/141/3586/1176.abstract Science Magazine, September 1963: Vol. 141, no. 3586, pp. 1176-1178, DOI: 10.1126/science.141.3586.1176, ''Low-Latitude Noctilucent Cloud of 15 June 1963'', Aden B. Meinel1, Barbara Middlehurst, Ewen Whitaker]</ref> | ||
:'''Abstract''' - Measurement of the filamentary noctilucent cloud of 2 November 1963 yields a height of 56 km. Study of the motion and orientation of the cloud confirms the hypothesis that these unusual clouds appearing in the southwestern states are produced by the launching of rocket vehicles from the Pacific Missile Range.<ref>[http://www.sciencemag.org/content/143/3601/38.abstract Science Magazine, January 1964: Vol. 143, no. 3601, pp. 38-39, DOI:0.1126/science.143.3601.38, Low-Latitude Noctilucent Cloud of 2 November 1963, Aden B. Meinel, Carolyn P. Meinel]</ref> | :'''Abstract''' - Measurement of the filamentary noctilucent cloud of 2 November 1963 yields a height of 56 km. Study of the motion and orientation of the cloud confirms the hypothesis that these unusual clouds appearing in the southwestern states are produced by the launching of rocket vehicles from the Pacific Missile Range.<ref>[http://www.sciencemag.org/content/143/3601/38.abstract Science Magazine, January 1964: Vol. 143, no. 3601, pp. 38-39, DOI:0.1126/science.143.3601.38, Low-Latitude Noctilucent Cloud of 2 November 1963, Aden B. Meinel, Carolyn P. Meinel]</ref> | ||