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India: Army 'mistook planets for spy drones'

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  • #16
    The original article from The Telegraph, kolkatta
    New Delhi, July 23: Phew! Science has saved a Roman god and a goddess from possible Armageddon launched from the Earth by the mighty Indian Army, egged on by TV studio patriots always keeping a gimlet eye open for Chinese intruders.

    The Indian Army mistook Jupiter and Venus as unidentified flying intruders making nocturnal sorties from China into the skies above eastern Ladakh for over six months until astronomers brought their fears to ground, it has been disclosed.

    Requested by the army, the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore, deputed two astronomers to Ladakh earlier this year to resolve the mystery of the two objects that the army had been observing in the sensitive border zone since August 2012.

    Sources told The Telegraph that army personnel had until February 2013 documented 329 sightings of the unidentified objects seen over Thakung near Pangong Tso, a high-altitude lake shared by India and Tibet.

    The objects were perceived to have violated the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that India shares with China 155 times.

    The astronomers were told that the first object, viewed from a location about 4,715 metres above sea level near Thakung, appeared in the horizon at about 6pm and remained visible until about 5am. The second object appeared at 4am and faded away at 11am. (risings and settings)

    The sightings emerged amid what defence analysts say are simmering concerns within the Indian Army about cross-border transgressions and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles by the Chinese to look into Indian territory.

    “Our task was to determine whether these unidentified objects were celestial or terrestrial,” Tushar Prabhu, a senior astronomer and a member of the IIAP team, said.

    The IIAP operates the world’s highest telescope at Hanle, Ladakh, about 150km south of the location where the sightings were reported.

    Army lance naik Sheminderpal Singh — a regular observer at Point 4715 — told the astronomers that he had noticed a delay of four minutes in the appearance of one of the objects each consecutive day. Singh also told them that the object seemed to be the brightest light in the sky and always appeared to move with respect to the stars.

    The IIAP team told the Indian Army to use an instrument called a theodolite to record the horizontal angle and vertical elevation of the two objects. Army personnel performed these observations between February 17 and 22 and submitted the data to the IIAP.


    The astronomers have concluded that the object observed from Point 4715 is Jupiter as the observations coincide with the planet’s diurnal motion and the apparent motion of the object due to the rotation of the Earth.

    The description of the second unidentified object that appeared early in the morning suggests that it is Venus, which is currently moving behind the Sun and will in the coming months appear as an evening object.

    The IIAP team said stars and planets over the horizon in Ladakh appear very bright because of increased atmospheric transparency at the high altitude and both Jupiter and Venus at the time were the brightest planets in the sky.

    The astronomers also clarified that objects that rise in the east may appear to be moving across the LAC and approaching the Indian side.


    The lance naik cannot be accused of over-reacting. He would have been posted at the height (above 13,000 feet) to function as a sentry/observer. This is not unusual. All along the LAC (as also on the LoC with Pakistan) troops from either side try to set up observation posts on dominating heights to monitor movements on the other side of the undefined frontier.

    Eastern Ladakh in particular is a sensitive region. Developments on this frontier led to the India-China war of 1962. Even as recently as last month, Chinese troops on horseback were reported to have crossed the LAC into India-claimed territory.

    Over the past 10 years, with advances in surveillance technologies, both armies have been using pilotless aircraft with sensors and high-resolution cameras to watch each other. In the last three years, the number of transgressions reported has spiralled. There were more than 500 between 2010 and 2012. Transgressions are not only over land but also in airspace.

    Against this background, sensitivities of the two sides and their armies/border police are extremely high.

    A lance naik, a soldier below officer rank, would normally be reporting to a subedar major, a junior commissioned officer – also a “personnel below officer rank”. The report usually winds its way up through a series of ranks to reach the higher echelons.

    From the army’s point of view, personal networks, bureaucratic red tape, inter-personal networks and a spirit of scientific enquiry have combined to bust the myth of UFOs over Eastern Ladakh, a phenomenon that so fascinated the tense sentinels of a harsh frontier.
    So apparently the indian army thought they were spying on spies in the air but couldn't figure out what was happening so they called up some astrophysicts in bangalore to solve the riddle.
    Last edited by anil; 28 Jul 13,, 19:10.

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    • #17
      Originally posted by cdude View Post
      You must be kidding. Try Welcome to the National Security Agency - NSA/CSS

      They have the records of everything.
      I'm sorry, but that gives me the homepage of Welcome to the National Security Agency - NSA/CSS
      Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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      • #18
        Originally posted by cdude
        During a recent meeting between Indian and Chinese officers, the Indian side complained about the Chinese "drones". The Chinese side suggested the Indians to shoot it down.
        "We tried, it's too damn high", an Indian officer said.
        Originally posted by Oracle_India View Post
        I tried Google. Found nothing of what you claim thereof.
        Oracle_India, i think cdude was trying to crack a simple joke.

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        • #19
          Originally posted by anil View Post
          Oracle_India, i think cdude was trying to crack a simple joke.
          Well, let us hear it from cdude himself. :)
          Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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          • #20
            Originally posted by cdude View Post
            Too tired right now. Let me get the source when I feel like to.

            Edit: that's not a comment if 66medic is reading. It's just a reply to a question that someone is asking.
            No doubt a reply conjured up in your mind with the explicit intention to flame bait.

            These kinds of flame baits and innuendos don't do justice to WAB. There are other boards where you will be cheered and applauded (hint P*F and C*F) but out here either the thread gets locked or you get banned......
            Seek Save Serve Medic

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            • #21
              Originally posted by Oracle_India View Post
              Well, let us hear it from cdude himself. :)
              You see, reality is sometimes more hilarious than the Dave Chappelle show. None of that was a joke. NSA has the record of the meeting. And the meeting might has happened.

              ˝â·ĹľüČ°Óˇ»÷ÂäŇÉÖĐąúÎŢČË»ú*ÓˇłĆĚ«¸ß´ň˛»×Ĺ--ČËĂńÍřąăÎ÷ƵµŔ--ČËĂńÍř



              Let me translate the title "解放军劝印击落疑中国无人机 印称太高打不着" for you: "PLA asked India to shoot down the suspected Chinese drone, India said it's too high to reach"
              Last edited by cdude; 28 Jul 13,, 21:01. Reason: Misspelled Chappelle's name

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              • #22
                So, this kind of mockery is for Chinese internal use only?
                No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

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                • #23
                  since when is BBC for Chinese internal use?

                  Originally posted by Doktor View Post
                  So, this kind of mockery is for Chinese internal use only?

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                  • #24
                    The second link.
                    No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                    To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Originally posted by Doktor View Post
                      So, this kind of mockery is for Chinese internal use only?
                      Probably making up for:

                      50 Chinese soldiers on horses and ponies intrude Indian territory


                      Riding on horses and ponies, around 50 Chinese soldiers intruded into the Indian territory of Chumar in Ladakh on July 16 staking their claim over the area.

                      The Chinese troops started their incursion in the Chumar area on the evening of July 16 and they remained in the Indian area till the morning of July 17, sources said.

                      Army sources confirmed the incursion saying that Indian troops had intercepted the PLA patrol in the Chumar area and after the usual banner drill between the two sides, the PLA patrol went back into their territory.

                      Sources said the intruding Chinese soldiers asked the Indian soldiers to vacate the area claiming that they were standing in Chinese territory.
                      .....
                      50 Chinese soldiers on horses and ponies intrude Indian territory
                      Cow is the only animal that not only inhales oxygen, but also exhales it.
                      -Rekha Arya, Former Minister of Animal Husbandry

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                      • #26
                        We have a saying here, "It is always better to ride like a beggar, then to walk like a king".

                        Yes, we are that lazy

                        The entrepreneur in me wonders... anyone thought to open digital printing banner shops in the disputed areas? Free hot tea with every banner and other goodies for regular customers.
                        Last edited by Doktor; 29 Jul 13,, 06:50.
                        No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                        To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Originally posted by Doktor View Post
                          The second link.
                          Tell me why you think the second link is for Chinese "internal" consumption only. I don't follow your logic here.

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                          • #28
                            The site has intl version and it is only available in Chinese.
                            No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

                            To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              /\/\/\ Yeah. And I could not find the same information from any other source. Google probably is not my friend. :)
                              Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Originally posted by cdude View Post
                                Tell me why you think the second link is for Chinese "internal" consumption only. I don't follow your logic here.
                                Didn't you promise not to comment on this one? What changed?

                                Originally posted by cdude View Post
                                I think I will not comment on this one.
                                "Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" ~ Epicurus

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