Ufology Research

Somewhere around two or three decades ago, the age of orbs came upon us.

It started, innocently enough, as ghosthunters examined photos taken in haunted houses and found round, transparent objects floating unobserved by humans.

Example:
http://www.ghostresearch.org/ghostpics/mtthabor.html

I'm not sure why the assumption was made that the objects in the photographs were spiritual in nature, and not just photographic artefacts. There's no question that the belief systems of ghosthunters affected their objectivity, but since image after image showed the same kind of globes, one would think that a photographic explanation would have become apparent.

Instead, we can find many websites such as this one:
http://theshadowlands.net/ghost/orbs.htm

which publish such photos. This one states authoritatively that orbs are: "energy being transferred from a source (i.e. powerlines, heat energy, batteries, people, etc) to the spirit so they can manifest."

What this means is, unfortunately, that many of the photographs that I take on vacation, such as this one inside a bowling alley, also show such orbs. This must mean that this place was haunted too, not that orbs are artefacts.



All is not lost, as many paranormal researchers have pointed out that ob photos are simply problems with digital cameras versus mechanical SLRs:

http://www.castleofspirits.com/orbs.html

On this page, you can see clearly how orbs photos can be created.

Then UFO fans started finding orbs in photographs, too. The origin of calling distant nocturnal light UFOs "orbs" came in the 1990s. One version of the origin is that a group led by Jennifer Jarvis, documenting UFOs over Lake Ontario in 1997 called them orbs in parallel to the lights seen over Phoenix:

http://www.globalserve.net/~mallet/name.shtml

The orbs are viewed anthropomorphically, as if they were actual creatures. Observers report some sort of empathic or actual telepathic communication with them, somehow:

However, the "ORBS" are out there, busy with their "work." Whenever I go to the shore, the lights spin and dance, and a nice warm feeling emanates from "their" direction. (ibid.)

It's common now for UFO fans to call all unusual distant lights "orbs," where previously they might be DDs or NLs.

An interesting example of daylight orbs videoed by a witness:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/4394879/amazing_daytime_flying_ufo_orbs_over_japan_2010_edit/

And a nighttime orb video:
http://vodpod.com/watch/3072927-ufo-orb-lights-in-sky-16feb10-tx-us

The assumption by UFO fans is that orbs are definitely alien in nature, and likely physical spacecraft. Headlines like: "UFO Orb-like Scout Ship Flyby Nevada-Arizona" are common on popular UFO websites.

One example:
http://www.nowpublic.com/strange/ufo-ufo-orb-scout-ship-flyby-nevada-arizona


Other examples from popular UFO websites:

Orange Colored Orbs Over Burnham On Crouch Essex UK
Large Reddish Orange Orb Seen Over Toronto Ontario
4 Bright Orange Orbs Over Leeds Road Kippax UK

There are some web pages that talk about orbs as "plasma beings" and sentient creatures of "higher dimensions" popping in and out of our reality.

But speaking of "reality," most UFO orb photos and videos I've seen are simply distant planes, stars and planets, with a smattering of birds (usually seagulls) thrown in for good measure.

However, calling them "orbs" adds an aura of mystery to an otherwise unremarkable phenomenon.

And don't get me started on "rods."