Thursday, November 9, 2006

Did an angel appear over the State Fair?

06119123832_angel2.jpg The South Carolina State Fair experience can be described in many ways, but you probably won't hear it called 'heavenly.' That is, unless you're talking to one Columbia family who recently showed off their "sign from above."On the last Friday of the fair in October, Catherine Austin and her sons were high atop the ferris wheel when they took severl digital photos. It wasn't until they got home that they noticed something out of this world, something some might call a heavenly host.

"It looks just like an angel," Catherine says. "It even has a ray of light that comes from the bottom toward the body of the angel and it's centered right in the middle of the picture - and I believe in angels. It's just an angel."
As you can imagine, Catherine has showed the picture to a lot of people, but not everyone sees what she does. - tampabays10

Hi people. Xeno the ghostbuster here. Okay, here is an enhancement just turning down the brightness of the original photo using Photoshop.

angel1.jpgA quick look at this photo with some tools shows that it is most likely a ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris).
First we enhance the original photo and we notice very sharply defined wings and a patch of red near the throat. You can also see the distinctive notch in the wing.

The dark head and beak and the dark feathers on the tail make it possible to see the angel shape.

To test my theory, in the adjustments to one photo of a ruby-throated hummingbird below I have simulated the lighting conditions of the "angel" photo.

I believe the results are close enough to say that the best earthly explanation is the hummingbird.
angel10.jpg angel8.jpg angel7.jpg angel5.jpg angel4.jpg angel3.jpg

5 comments:

Dunamis said...

Xeno, that was ingenious.

Anton Mates said...

Interesting. My first thought was "sphinx moth", especially since the photo looks like it was taken at night (but who knows how bright the background's really supposed to be?)

Moe Monkey said...

So, Gabriel et al were hummingbirds? Now I'm even more confused!

;-)

Xenophilia » Blog Archive » Apparent Voice Of Dead Woman Heard On Audiotape said...

[...] In other news, humming birds are believed to be angels.?   [link] [...]

Bartos said...

A CELESTIAL HIERARCHY
Pat Bartos
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Though the Church has never issued an official declaration on the celestial hierarchy of angels, by tradition it is seen as a highly structured environment.
Angels are ranked into nine choirs, or categories, and divided into three hierarchies: seraphim, cherubim and thrones; dominations, virtues and powers; principalities, archangels and angels.

The highest orders are noted for their zeal and ceaseless contemplation of God Those in the second hierarchy are associated with the care of human affairs, and the lowest ranks are charged with announcing God's will.

Reigning at the top of this spectrum, existing in the realm closest to God, are the seraphim, characterized by their fiery love, which is said to reflect onto the lesser ranks of angels.

Cherubim are associated with intellect. They share a deep insight into God's secrets and understand the requirements of salvation.

Thrones symbolize submission and peace, and they help people to abide by God's will. By tradition, God rests on them and imparts His Spirit, which they pass on to lesser angels and to mankind.

The second hierarchy is led by the dominations, who rule over lesser angels to carry out commands of God and make known God's authority.

Virtues fulfill this work and, through them, God oversees the seasons and visible heavens.

The powers, by tradition, are the favorite of mortals, assigned to fight evil spirits and defeat their plans.

Principalities rule over the lowest hierarchy, guarding countries and charged with making announcements to mankind. They govern souls and bodies.

Archangels by tradition guard great persons and, under St. Michael, they protect the Church.

Angels form the lowest rank. They include guardian angels and stand ready to follow where God sends them.