This picture is alleged to be an unauthorized release from the U.S. Air Force of objects of unknown origin transitioning the airspace over downtown Atlanta last September.  The objects appear to be traveling in loose formation. The photo was taken by a tourist out of his hotel window.  The photographer did not realize the objects were in the sky until he got his pictures back from the photo lab.  The Air Force has been unable to either prove the picture a fake (they stated that it appeared authentic) or identify the objects or their means of propulsion.

 

According to the report that was released with the photo, a reclusive,  independent expert that has reviewed and debunked UFO fakes for the US and British governments for years,  Dr. Richard E. Golders, had this to say about the photo and other data assembled by the Air Force:  "A comprehensive review of radar data taken from Atlanta Hartsfield radar from September 17, 2002 did reveal five faint radar images moving across downtown Atlanta at approximately 3:04PM.  The radar cross-section was equivalent to that of a large bird, and was therefore ignored by the ATC computer.  On further study, however, it was determined that the objects were traveling at over 400 mph at an altitude of approximately 1200 feet.  By reviewing archived radar data, we were able to track the objects as they accelerated NW over Kennesaw, GA and finally disappeared altogether just north of Chattanooga, TN."

Golders has no explanation other than the obvious:  "These were certainly unidentified flying objects.  No, they were not swamp gas.  It is also highly unlikely that they represent some new government experimental aircraft.  When the government builds prototypes for flight testing, they do not build and fly five of them simultaneously.  Nor would the Air Force fly any aircraft at high-speed and low-level over a densely populated urban area and in heavily congested and controlled airspace (Atlanta Hartsfield is only 7 miles south and is one of the busiest commercial hubs in the country). We put the photo and negative through a battery of tests and it appears to be the genuine article. This one has me both stumped and concerned."

Because the radar data could accurately place the objects over downtown Atlanta and the exact position of the photographer was known, it was easy to determine an approximate length of the objects using simply trigometric calculations.  Golders estimated the length at 410 feet and the height at the object's center at 44 feet.  This is longer than any aircraft operated by any country in the world.

 

The Air Force is denying any knowledge of the photo or the objects, yet it admits to conducting a criminal investigation of the unauthorized release of classified material concerning the photo and Dr. Golders' report.

Related Link:  www.local6.com/orlpn/news/stories/news-174421820021028-161017.html