Description

6:45-7:20 PM – Dec 16, 2024 – Big Bear Lake, California

This is a compilation of footage from three different cameras capturing the same phenomenon. For lack of a better term, it looks like a miniature spiral galaxy forming. (What else would you call it?) The last clips show it best—slowed down and zoomed in. No image editing was done, only cropping and speeding up for clarity.

Context

I’ve been testing cameras and settings over the last few nights, mostly doing time-lapses with a new lens on my main camera. Capturing moving objects at night is tricky—requiring the right gear, experience, and patience (not to mention it’s freezing out here).

I noticed this while previewing a short clip from my DJI Action 5 Pro, checking exposure before leaving it to record. Something strange was moving, but I assumed it was a lens flare. After adjusting settings and restarting the time-lapse, I realized the footage consistently captured the anomaly.

I also had an Insta360 X4 (Starlapse mode) and a security camera pointed skyward. To my surprise, all three recorded the same event. This rules out an imaging error—it’s definitely something real.

The Phenomenon

Over 20–30 minutes, a faint haze appeared, developed a central light, then split into two spiral arms that rotated. It moved against the Earth’s rotation and was invisible to the naked eye at the time. Planes are visible for reference, moving normally through the frame.

I don’t think this is an object or craft—it’s more like… I don’t know… a forming spiral galaxy?

Footage Details

1. Clip 1: Insta360 X4

• Captured in Starlapse mode.

• The distortion below is from stitching two lenses together—it doesn’t explain the phenomenon, as it appears in other footage too.

2. Clip 2: DJI Action 5 Pro

• Slight jump in brightness due to adjustments during setup.

• Full event captured after restarting the recording.

3. Clip 3: Security Camera

• Shows the event with a timestamp, adding context to the timeline.

What Could This Be?

It’s not star trails or auroras—those don’t match the movement or appearance. I’ve ruled out lens flares since it’s captured on three different devices. It isn’t something I’ve seen or read about before.

Does anyone know what this could be? A rare natural phenomenon? Something else entirely?

I have noooo idea