Within NASA Claims
Was The Cigar Shaped Object Really A UFO?
The cigar-shaped object is memorable, but McKinnon's own description leaves open satellites, artifacts, and ordinary aerospace explanations.
On this page
- The object Mc Kinnon described
- Why size and location matter
- Conventional explanations that cannot be ruled out
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Introduction
The most memorable element of Gary McKinnon’s NASA story is not the alleged spreadsheets or references to “non-terrestrial officers”. It is his claim that, during a brief remote session, he saw a high-resolution image showing a silvery, cigar-shaped object with unusual spherical features attached to it. According to McKinnon, the image appeared to come from a NASA system storing large satellite photographs, and he viewed it only briefly before his connection was terminated. [WIRED]wired.comufo hacker tells what he foundWIRED'UFO Hacker' Tells What He Found21 Jun,2006 — It was a silvery, cigar-shaped object with geodesic spheres on either side. There were…
The image has never been publicly produced, independently verified, or subjected to forensic analysis. As a result, the central question is not whether the object looked unusual to McKinnon—it clearly did—but whether the available information is sufficient to conclude that it was an unknown craft. The answer is no. The description is intriguing, but it leaves open a wide range of conventional explanations that cannot be eliminated.
Was The Cigar-Shaped Object Really A UFO?
McKinnon’s description has remained remarkably consistent over the years. He said he briefly viewed a “silvery, cigar-shaped object” with “geodesic spheres” on either side. He reported no visible seams, rivets, or obvious structural details and said the image appeared to have been taken by a satellite looking down at the object. Crucially, he also stated that there was no reference point indicating scale. [WIRED]wired.comufo hacker tells what he foundWIRED'UFO Hacker' Tells What He Found21 Jun,2006 — It was a silvery, cigar-shaped object with geodesic spheres on either side. There were…
Those details make the account memorable, but they also create analytical problems. Without knowing the object’s size, altitude, orientation, date, location, sensor type, or imaging conditions, investigators cannot determine whether it represented:
- A large object in orbit. [facebook.com]facebook.comLeaked footage of non-terrestrial officers and space vesselsMcKinnon hacked into Johnson's systems and said he found a high definition pi…
- A smaller object much closer to the camera.
- A spacecraft, satellite, or piece of hardware.
- An imaging artefact.
- A partially rendered image viewed through a degraded remote connection.
The description is therefore evidence of what McKinnon believed he saw, not evidence of what the object actually was.
The Object McKinnon Described
One reason the story persists is that the description sounds more specific than many UFO reports. The combination of a cigar-like shape and attached spherical structures creates a visual image that readers can easily imagine.
However, the description comes from a very unusual viewing situation. McKinnon said he was using a slow 56K dial-up connection and had reduced the remote display to 4-bit colour and low resolution in order to make the image viewable over the network. He was not examining an original file locally. Instead, he was watching a compressed remote desktop representation of a large image loading across a slow connection. [WIRED]wired.comufo hacker tells what he foundWIRED'UFO Hacker' Tells What He Found21 Jun,2006 — It was a silvery, cigar-shaped object with geodesic spheres on either side. There were…
That distinction matters because remote-viewing software can introduce:
- Compression artefacts.
- Missing image sections.
- Colour distortions.
- Incomplete rendering.
- Geometric misinterpretations when only part of an image has loaded.
A shape that appears smooth, metallic, or unusual under those conditions may not accurately reflect the source image.
Why Size and Location Matter
The absence of scale is one of the biggest obstacles to interpretation.
Imagine three different scenarios:
- A satellite photograph showing a large orbital vehicle hundreds of metres long.
- A photograph of a much smaller satellite component near the camera.
- A close-up image of hardware undergoing testing or assembly.
All three could potentially appear as a smooth, elongated metallic object if viewed without context.
Professional image analysts routinely rely on surrounding terrain, shadows, known structures, orbital data, sensor metadata, and image geometry to determine what an object actually is. None of that information is available in McKinnon’s account. [WIRED]wired.comufo hacker tells what he foundWIRED'UFO Hacker' Tells What He Found21 Jun,2006 — It was a silvery, cigar-shaped object with geodesic spheres on either side. There were…
Even the object’s location remains uncertain. In some later retellings the object is described as being above Earth, while McKinnon’s original account focused mainly on the appearance of the image rather than providing a precise location. Because the original image is unavailable, those details cannot be independently checked. [WIRED]wired.comufo hacker tells what he foundWIRED'UFO Hacker' Tells What He Found21 Jun,2006 — It was a silvery, cigar-shaped object with geodesic spheres on either side. There were…
Conventional Explanations That Cannot Be Ruled Out
The strongest criticism of the UFO interpretation is not that a mundane explanation has been proven. Rather, it is that many ordinary explanations remain plausible.
Satellite or Spacecraft Hardware
NASA and other space agencies routinely photograph satellites, modules, antenna structures, fuel tanks, docking equipment, and experimental hardware. Depending on viewing angle and lighting conditions, elongated spacecraft components can appear smooth and featureless.
Without scale or context, a satellite bus, upper-stage component, or other orbital hardware could potentially resemble a cigar-shaped object.
Image Processing Artefacts
McKinnon specifically claimed he encountered processed and unprocessed imagery. Large technical images often undergo calibration, enhancement, contrast correction, and compression. During transmission or rendering, artefacts can create misleading shapes and boundaries.
Because he viewed the image remotely under poor bandwidth conditions, artefacts cannot be excluded as a contributing factor. [WIRED]wired.comufo hacker tells what he foundWIRED'UFO Hacker' Tells What He Found21 Jun,2006 — It was a silvery, cigar-shaped object with geodesic spheres on either side. There were…
Partial Image Rendering
A particularly important possibility is incomplete rendering.
When a very large image loads gradually, only portions may be visible at a given moment. Missing sections can alter perceived geometry. Rounded features, gaps, or partially loaded regions may create the impression of attached spheres or unusual structures that disappear once the image fully loads.
McKinnon never obtained the complete file, meaning this possibility cannot be tested. [WIRED]wired.comufo hacker tells what he foundWIRED'UFO Hacker' Tells What He Found21 Jun,2006 — It was a silvery, cigar-shaped object with geodesic spheres on either side. There were…
Misidentified Aerospace Equipment
NASA archives contain imagery of launch systems, spacecraft testing, orbital operations, and engineering projects. Many aerospace structures look unfamiliar outside their normal context.
A viewer expecting to encounter evidence of hidden technology may naturally focus on features that appear anomalous while lacking the surrounding information needed for identification.
What Would Be Needed To Strengthen The Claim?
The evidential weakness of the cigar-object story stems from the lack of verifiable data.
Investigators would ideally need:
- The original image file.
- Metadata identifying date and source.
- Sensor information.
- Image-processing history.
- Independent expert analysis.
- Confirmation from additional witnesses.
None of these elements are publicly available. McKinnon stated that he did not successfully download the image before his connection was terminated. As a result, the claim rests entirely on memory rather than on evidence that others can inspect. [WIRED]wired.comufo hacker tells what he foundWIRED'UFO Hacker' Tells What He Found21 Jun,2006 — It was a silvery, cigar-shaped object with geodesic spheres on either side. There were…
Why The Story Remains Unresolved
The cigar-shaped object occupies an unusual position in UFO history. It is more specific than a typical anecdote because it includes a distinct visual description and a claimed NASA source. Yet it is less useful as evidence than many photographic cases because the image itself is unavailable.
For supporters of McKinnon, the object appears consistent with the possibility that he encountered something extraordinary hidden within NASA systems. For sceptics, the lack of a file, screenshot, metadata, or independent corroboration means that conventional explanations remain at least as plausible as an exotic one. [WIRED]wired.comufo hacker tells what he foundWIRED'UFO Hacker' Tells What He Found21 Jun,2006 — It was a silvery, cigar-shaped object with geodesic spheres on either side. There were…
The result is a claim that is difficult either to confirm or to completely dismiss. What survives is not a verified photograph of an unknown craft, but a recollection of a brief viewing experience whose most important details can no longer be examined. [WIRED]wired.comufo hacker tells what he foundWIRED'UFO Hacker' Tells What He Found21 Jun,2006 — It was a silvery, cigar-shaped object with geodesic spheres on either side. There were…
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Endnotes
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Source: wired.com
Title: ufo hacker tells what he found
Link: https://www.wired.com/2006/06/ufo-hacker-tells-what-he-found/Source snippet
WIRED'UFO Hacker' Tells What He Found21 Jun,2006 — It was a silvery, cigar-shaped object with geodesic spheres on either side. There were...
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Source: nasa.gov
Title: a history of near earth object research sp 4235
Link: https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/a-history-of-near-earth-object-research-sp-4235.pdf?emrc=9e734bSource snippet
The History of Near-Earth Objects Research1982, scientists at NASA Johnson Space Center had identified a meteorite found in Antarctica as...
Additional References
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/OriginsExplained/videos/david-grusch-nasa-hacker-gary-mckinnon-the-alien-cover-up-is-real/1000575392635681/Source snippet
David Grusch & NASA Hacker Gary McKinnonHe told wired in two thousand and six, he saw a picture of a silvery cigar-shaped object with geo...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ufodaily/posts/1513256550301567/Source snippet
Leaked footage of non-terrestrial officers and space vesselsMcKinnon hacked into Johnson's systems and said he found a high definition pi...
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Source: uapmurders.com
Link: https://uapmurders.com/uaps/Details/Gary_McKinnon/Source snippet
Murdering UAP ExpertsGary McKinnon | Murdering UAP ExpertsMcKinnon claimed he viewed an unprocessed satellite image showing "a silvery, c...
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Source: x.com
Link: https://x.com/ClintonDesveaux/status/2028242533684215873Source snippet
This looks funHalfway across the world in the UK, a lone IT guy named Gary McKinnon hacked into the same NASA facility and saw an image o...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/UnexplainedMysteriousUniverse/posts/gary-mckinnon-said-he-didnt-break-into-nasa-for-money-or-espionage-he-was-search/1552576496873772/Source snippet
Gary McKinnon said he didn't break into NASA...According to McKinnon, one image briefly showed a cigar-shaped object above Earth before...
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Source: docs.house.gov
Title: HHRG 118 GO12 Wstate ShellenbergerM 20241113
Link: https://docs.house.gov/meetings/GO/GO12/20241113/117721/HHRG-118-GO12-Wstate-ShellenbergerM-20241113.pdfSource snippet
House Document RepositoryThe United States Department Of Defense And The...13 Nov 2024 — McKinnon claims an image held at the Johnson Sp...
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Source: pod.wave.co
Title: 600 compilation mars mysteries and secret missions e1b9e417
Link: https://pod.wave.co/podcast/the-why-files-operation-podcast/600-compilation-mars-mysteries-and-secret-missions-e1b9e417Source snippet
wave.co600: COMPILATION: Mars Mysteries and Secret Missions27 Jun 2025 — After Gary found the cigar shaped UFO on the NASA computer and g...
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Source: cybernews.com
Link: https://cybernews.com/tech/hacker-who-breached-nasa-trying-prove-ufo-existence/Source snippet
The hacker who breached NASA to prove that UFOs exist31 Oct,2023 — It was a silvery, cigar-shaped object with geodesic spheres o...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/16in31n/reminder_gary_mckinnon_caught_nasa_editing_uap/Source snippet
Reminder: Gary McKinnon caught NASA editing UAP out of...It was a silvery, cigar-shaped object with geodesic spheres on either side...
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Source: socialecologies.wordpress.com
Title: gary mckinnon the ufo image in nasa [building 8]({{ ‘building-8/’ | relative_url }})
Link: https://socialecologies.wordpress.com/2025/12/03/gary-mckinnon-the-ufo-image-in-nasa-building-8/Source snippet
McKinnon: The UFO Image in Nasa Building “8”03 Dec,2025 — Gary McKinnon: The UFO Image in Nasa Building "8" - A Chronosphere Case Study i...
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