Within Insects
The Denver UFOs That Looked Like Bugs
The Denver UFO video shows how a mystery can shrink when the same motion is tested as small insects close to the camera.
On this page
- What made the footage seem extraordinary
- Why distance was the key missing fact
- What the case teaches about single camera clips
Page outline Jump by section
Introduction
The 2012 “UFOs over Denver” story is one of the clearest examples of how a simple mistake about distance can transform ordinary objects into seemingly extraordinary aerial mysteries. A local television report showed fast-moving objects appearing above Denver that could not be seen with the naked eye but became visible when video footage was slowed down. Because the objects appeared to cross large sections of sky at remarkable speed, some viewers interpreted them as unknown craft. However, later analysis argued that the entire mystery depended on an unproven assumption: that the objects were far away. If they were actually tiny insects passing close to the camera lens, their apparent speed, size and unusual motion ceased to be mysterious. [Slate]slate.comUFOs over Denver are insectsSlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take…
The Denver case remains valuable not because it definitively identified every object in the footage, but because it demonstrates how difficult it is to infer distance from a single camera recording. In the broader study of UFO reports, it is a textbook example of how near-lens insects can create convincing but misleading impressions of extraordinary flight. [Slate]slate.comUFOs over Denver are insectsSlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take…
What made the footage seem extraordinary
The original report aired by Denver television station KDVR after an anonymous witness supplied video showing small objects streaking through the sky. The station’s own photographer later recorded similar footage from the same area, which gave the story added credibility. The objects appeared to dart rapidly, sometimes seeming to hover and then accelerate away. Because they were difficult or impossible to spot with the naked eye, the slowed footage appeared especially puzzling. [Openminds.tv]openminds.tvg what he claimed were UFOs over the city. He claimed these objects…
Several features encouraged a UFO interpretation:
- The objects seemed to move too quickly for conventional aircraft.
- They appeared suddenly and vanished just as abruptly.
- They did not resemble recognisable planes or helicopters in the video.
- Their motion looked erratic rather than following obvious flight paths. [Openminds.tv]openminds.tvg what he claimed were UFOs over the city. He claimed these objects…
The visual impression was strengthened by the framing of the report. Investigators consulted aviation specialists and other commentators who stated that the objects did not resemble known aircraft. The resulting narrative encouraged viewers to compare the footage against distant aerial vehicles rather than against tiny objects close to the camera. [Openminds.tv]openminds.tvg what he claimed were UFOs over the city. He claimed these objects…
Why distance was the key missing fact
The central problem was that the footage contained no reliable measurement of range. A video frame records where something appears in the image, but not how far away it is. A fly a few centimetres from a lens can occupy the same apparent position in the frame as a large object hundreds of metres away. Without independent distance information, both interpretations can fit the image. [Slate]slate.comUFOs over Denver are insectsSlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take…
Astronomer and science writer Phil Plait analysed the Denver footage and argued that the objects behaved exactly as insects would if they were passing close to the camera. Their apparent speed became impressive only when viewers assumed they were distant. If the objects were nearby bugs, the rapid crossings of the frame required no extraordinary explanation at all. [Slate]slate.comUFOs over Denver are insectsSlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take…
This is the crucial distance mistake:
- An object appears to move quickly across the image.
- The viewer unconsciously assumes it is far away.
- The apparent angular motion is converted into enormous real-world speed.
- The result looks impossible or highly unusual.
Remove the distance assumption and the calculated speed collapses. What seemed like a craft racing across the skyline may instead be a small insect moving normally through the foreground. [Slate]slate.comUFOs over Denver are insectsSlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take…
The Denver footage offered no second camera angle, no radar range data and no direct interaction with distant landmarks that could establish where the objects actually were. As a result, the “large and distant” interpretation never had stronger evidence than the “small and nearby” interpretation. [Slate]slate.comUFOs over Denver are insectsSlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take…
Why insects can look like blobs instead of insects
One reason the insect explanation initially seemed unsatisfying is that the objects did not look much like flies or moths. However, cameras focused on distant scenery often render nearby insects as blurred shapes. Wings, legs and body details disappear. What remains is a soft blob, streak or elongated form. [Slate]slate.comUFOs over Denver are insectsSlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take…
Motion blur can make the effect even stranger. During the camera’s exposure, a fast-moving insect may be recorded across multiple positions. This can create shapes that resemble rods, capsules or glowing streaks rather than familiar animals. Similar misunderstandings have appeared in the long-running “flying rods” phenomenon, where ordinary insects were repeatedly mistaken for unknown airborne entities. [Wikipedia]WikipediaRod (optical phenomenonRod (optical phenomenon
How the insect interpretation gained strength
As debate over the footage continued, sceptical investigators and commentators pointed out that the reported behaviour matched near-camera insects remarkably well. The objects were visible only on video, moved with abrupt directional changes and appeared as unfocused blurs. Those are all characteristics commonly seen when insects pass close to a camera aimed at distant scenery. [Slate]slate.comUFOs over Denver are insectsSlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take…
The controversy also highlighted an important asymmetry in evidence. Supporters of the UFO interpretation often focused on what the objects were not: not planes, not helicopters and not obviously birds. Critics instead focused on what could be demonstrated from the footage itself. Since the video did not establish distance, they argued that no claims about extraordinary speed or size could be justified. [Slate]slate.comUFOs over Denver are insectsSlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take…
This shifted the discussion from identifying a specific species of insect to evaluating the logic of the inference. Even if the exact object could not be determined from the footage alone, the close-insect explanation required far fewer assumptions than the idea of unknown high-speed craft over Denver. [Slate]slate.comUFOs over Denver are insectsSlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take…
What the case teaches about single-camera clips
The lasting importance of the Denver case is methodological rather than sensational. It demonstrates how easily a single-camera recording can create misleading impressions when distance is unknown. The footage did not necessarily deceive because of poor image quality alone. The deeper issue was that viewers instinctively interpreted the objects as distant features in the sky. [Slate]slate.comUFOs over Denver are insectsSlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take…
For evaluating UFO videos, the case suggests several practical questions:
- Has the object’s distance actually been measured?
- Could a nearby object occupy the same position in the frame?
- Is the camera focused on distant scenery rather than nearby space?
- Is the apparent speed being inferred from an assumed range?
- Is there any independent evidence, such as a second viewpoint, confirming altitude and distance? [Slate]slate.comUFOs over Denver are insectsSlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take…
The Denver footage became famous because it looked extraordinary. It became instructive because a much simpler explanation exposed the hidden assumption behind that impression. Once the possibility of insects close to the lens was tested seriously, the mystery shrank from apparent high-speed UFOs over a city to a lesson in camera geometry and the dangers of guessing distance from a single video. [Slate]slate.comUFOs over Denver are insectsSlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take…
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Endnotes
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Source: slate.com
Title: UFOs over Denver are insects
Link: https://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2012/11/28/ufos_over_denver_are_insects.htmlSource snippet
SlateUFOs over Denver are insectsNovember 28, 2012 — 28 Nov 2012 — As a skeptic and an astronomer, I'm sometimes asked what it would take...
Published: November 28, 2012
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Source: openminds.tv
Link: https://openminds.tv/flying-object-over-denver-ufo-or-bug-update-881/Source snippet
g what he claimed were UFOs over the city. He claimed these objects...
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Source: Wikipedia
Title: Rod (optical phenomenon)
Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_%28optical_phenomenon%29 -
Source: Wikipedia
Title: Bryan & Baxter
Link: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_%26Baxter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan%26_Baxter)
Additional References
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Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/DW_FqmEDzbA/Source snippet
In recent times, the discourse surrounding UFOs...ELECTRONIC GHOSTS matches camera's internal housing movement; star-shaped UFOs often j...
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Source: archive.org
Title: Apr 13 1992, The Times, #64305, UK (en) djvu.txt
Link: https://archive.org/stream/NewsUK1992UKEnglish/Apr%2013%201992%2C%20The%20Times%2C%20%2364305%2C%20UK%20%28en%29_djvu.txtSource snippet
Full text of "The Times, 1992, UK, English"(Reuter) Denver chosen Rome: Denver. Colorado, is to be the venue of... Ufo (752) 630-730 Bl...
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Source: wtkr.com
Title: news crew captures video of ufos over denver
Link: https://www.wtkr.com/2012/11/18/news-crew-captures-video-of-ufos-over-denverSource snippet
18 Nov 2012 — A Map shows only homes in the area. So are they UFOs? A secret military test? Floating debris? Want to see more UFO reports...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/Denver/comments/13da3k/this_is_the_denver_ufo_meeting_followup_post/Source snippet
en if it is just flies how do we know its not alien flies?Read more...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/TheDaveRyanShow/posts/daves-son-chase-is-a-tv-reporter-in-colorado-springs-and-he-just-did-a-story-wit/10157346036634154/Source snippet
FO Caught on Camera. 19w · Public · Alien In Colorado...Read more...
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Source: foxnews.com
Title: denver ufo likely has earthly explanation
Link: https://www.foxnews.com/science/denver-ufo-likely-has-earthly-explanationSource snippet
Denver 'UFO' likely has earthly explanation14 Nov 2012 — Earlier this year that case was widely claimed by bestselling UFO author Leslie...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/348704483442978/posts/1030884588558294/Source snippet
ct WAY up. Look at the app NOTHING. What do you think that is?...
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Source: westword.com
Title: videos ufos over denver as captured by a true believer 5893406
Link: https://www.westword.com/news/videos-ufos-over-denver-as-captured-by-a-true-believer-5893406/Source snippet
"UFO hunting and sighting are always an awe-inspiring experience. A few sightings have...Read more...
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Source: worldradiohistory.com
Link: https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1980s/1983/RR-1983-10-21.pdfSource snippet
Patrick To FCC21 Oct 1983 —... Denver's growth and develop- ment. Its evolution and matura... Alien (Atlantic). 42 + 29+ 13+. 0- 3-. [...
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Source: susanrennison.co.uk
Title: Best of the Blog
Link: https://www.susanrennison.co.uk/Best_oftheblog_UAP_traffic.phpSource snippet
Orbs, UAP & UFO TrafficIt seems apparent to me that ufologists do not want to acknowledge that a huge percentage of reported UFOs are in...
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