Roofus mission ended
Camera removed
Snoopy mission ended
Cameras removed
Owlbert mission ended
Cameras removed
Book
Hunting Marfa Lights
takes the reader on a fascinating journey in pursuit of mysterious nocturnal luminous phenomena that sometimes appear near Marfa, Texas. These unusual lights were first observed by Native Americans who believed them to be fallen stars.
This book describes the only, to date, extensive study of these elusive phenomena. Based on data collected, the author finds that while most observed lights can be explained, about three percent are truly mysterious and of unknown origin. In addition to frequent onsite observations and photography, the author has installed three automated monitoring stations, equipped with a total of nine cameras to collect nightly video records.
Included are 34 compelling stories told by individuals who have encountered these mysterious lights and been amazed by the experience.
This book is available from a book store near you
or you may place a secure order at
http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/02725.htm#order
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements..................................................................... 9
Introduction................................................................................ 11
Mitchell Flat............................................................................... 17
Marfa...................................................................................... 18
Geographical Uniqueness......................................................... 20
Marfa Lights View Park (MLVP)............................................. 23
Part I -- Hunting Light............................................ 37
Critical Events........................................................................... 39
A Grandfather’s Gift............................................................... 39
First Amazing Look................................................................ 43
Strategy ................................................................................. 44
Preparations (Open Wallet)..................................................... 46
Ventures Into Darkness............................................................. 53
Trapped In the Night............................................................... 53
Seeking Elusive Lights............................................................. 56
Did You See What I Imagined That I Saw?............................. 59
Night Photography Is an Art.................................................... 60
Picture Disaster....................................................................... 62
A Personal Note ..................................................................... 65
We Needed to Solve the Puzzle In Order to Solve the Puzzle ...65
MLs Race Cross-country......................................................... 67
Monitoring Stations.................................................................... 69
Roofus -- January 2003............................................................ 69
Snoopy -- 2004........................................................................ 73
Owlbert -- April 2006.............................................................. 78
ML Behaviors ............................................................................ 85
Optically Close......................................................................... 85
April Showers Bring May…MLs?............................................ 88
May Surprise............................................................................ 94
Electric MLs -- Story 26........................................................... 97
Infrared MLs -- August/October 2006..................................... 102
Infrared ML -- July 2007......................................................... 107
Burning MLs -- July 2008.........................................................107
The Search Intensifies............................................................... 109
Measuring Magnetic Fields in Mitchell Flat................................109
Parsing Light............................................................................111
Search for Faults......................................................................114
Texas State University Takes an Interest...................................116
Night Discoveries...................................................................... 123
Unusual Events........................................................................123
Weird Stuff (WS)....................................................................124
Another Electric Surprise.........................................................124
Unusual Meteors.....................................................................126
Venting from Whirlwind Mesa.................................................128
Fast Movers...........................................................................130
Unusual Lightning Events.........................................................132
A Giant Jet..............................................................................133
Creatures and Critters.............................................................. 137
Bugs of Light...........................................................................137
Social Coyotes........................................................................138
Owl Intelligence...................................................................... 140
Silcock and the Owl................................................................142
Part II -- What Are Mystery Lights?........................145
Light Sources in Mitchell Flat.............................................147
Mysterious Lights in Mitchell Flat.....................................157
Type M MLs: Night Mirages..................................................157
Four ML Mirage Stories?.......................................................162
Owlbert Mirages................................................................... 165
Do Mirages Explain All MLs?................................................165
Type LC MLs: Light Curtains.................................................167
Type CE MLs: Chemical-Electromagnetic.............................168
Two characteristics common to Type CE MLs......................172
What Are Chemical-Electromagnetic MLs?..........................173
HP 1: MLs are byproducts of solar storms............................173
HP 2: MLs are plasma out of the Inner Belt ..........................176
HP 3: MLs result from pyrophoric chemicals.........................179
HP 4: MLs are electromagnetic vortexes that burn
chemicals to produce light.....................................................181
Summary of Light Sources in Mitchell Flat............................187
Appendix A - Mystery Light Stories.......................................193
Story 1 San Angelo Standard Times......................................195
Story 2 Geologist’s Report....................................................197
Story 3 Red MLs to the West................................................199
Story 4 A Three-Ring Circus.................................................202
Story 5 Stormy Weather MLs................................................205
Story 6 The Man Who Touched an ML ........................ .......206
Story 7 Undulating Plasma Balls.............................................208
Story 8 MLs Southwest of View Park....................................210
Story 9 “We Saw the Marfa Lights!”......................................211
Story 10 Getting Hooked.......................................................213
Story 11 MLs and Small Red Lights............................... .......217
Story 12 High Flying MLs......................................................220
Story 13 No Wind Response.................................................222
Story 14 Orange Light Above the Horizon..............................224
Story 15 Pulsing Light On Side of a Mesa..............................226
Story 16 An Amazing Vertical Departure................................227
Story 17 Spectacular MLs......................................................228
Story 18 The Very Next Night................................................229
Story 19 Miracle Hunters........................................................231
Story 20 Red MLs and a Green Ball of Light................... .......234
Story 21 Lights Behaving Impossibly.......................................235
Story 22 “Is That One There?”...............................................239
Story 23 MLs Beyond Mitchell Flat........................................240
Story 24 Night Vision Only.....................................................241
Story 25 A Curtain of Light High into the Night Sky................243
Story 26 Electrical MLs (presented on page 97).....................243
Story 27 A Ranch Light That Wasn’t......................................243
Story 28 “There Were Flames Inside!”...................................245
Story 29 Faint Columns..........................................................246
Story 30 Ball Lightning or MLs?.............................................247
Story 31 It Moved Up and Down in an Arc............................248
Story 32 Chased by a Green Light..........................................250
Story 33 Chased by a White Light .........................................252
Story 34 Another Car Chase on US 90..................................254
Appendix B -- Mystery Light Data..........................................255
Discussion of Selected Data Results.......................................260
What About Those Zeolites?..................................................281
Appendix C -- Equipment..........................................................283
Monitoring Station Equipment...................... ........................285
Field Equipment.....................................................................285
Notes..........................................................................................295
Bibliography...............................................................................299
Glossary......................................................................................303
Abbreviations and Acronyms.....................................................311
Index...........................................................................................315
About the Author........................................................................319