AshOnMyTomatoes wrote:
I'm pretty sure some of the photos were doctored. Most of the videos show a much smaller spiral than the giant ones in some of the photos.
The videos look very much like an out-of-control rocket, perhaps even one that has left the atmosphere, which would both explain why the spiral was so nice and round (the detritus from the rocket slowly expanding outwards in a spiral) and how the Norwegians could see it, the Russians could launch it, and it not actually be a danger to anyone, since it was probably extremely far away.
I'm guessing that the videos just couldn't pick up as much detail. Consumer video recorders are much less clear than consumer cameras, especially at that distance, and at night. Aperture settings and shutter speeds and all.