'Weird, Wormy' UFO over Chicago Likely Rogue Solar Balloon
Still image from the video provided by Alex Cook.
Chicago resident Alex Cook filmed a "weird, wormy thing" drifting in the sky above the city on August 27th. The object was said by Cook to alternate at times between floating horizontally and vertically.
At least one other witness managed to record the object. Melissa Hofer was with her boyfriend relaxing on their balcony, when they "spotted a long, black object floating across the sky." Hofer took a video with her cellphone, which she later shared on Twitter.
More footage of the #UFO pic.twitter.com/mPkP7Bt7Wt
— melissa (@mjh_23) August 28, 2017
Examination of the videos appears to show a solar balloon caught between pressure cells, according to one of the technical experts at Restricted Access.
"The weather pattern in the video (overcast as it is) would work with [the solar balloon theory] as the balloon could have become caught between two different pressure or temperature cells, which would cause it to lay sideways and maintain a certain height for some time until the weather shifted," said the expert.
Solar balloons are relatively easily constructed, come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and can be made from common household items, such as garbage bags.
It is unclear at this time who could have released the balloon.
A tubular solar balloon made of garbage bags. (Image credit: Wikipedia)