Oumuamua

[Lean'n'mean]

So… who made it and what it is for is still a mystery.

So if who made it , who's who ?
Consider it like a crop circle. The person or persons involved knew it would be spotted one day, either by Google Earth, a drone or hikers & then become a buzz but most of all I think they wanted people to ask themselves "But what is it for ?" which is probably what it is for.
On the other hand, you'll notice the water near it. Water must be pretty rare there abouts, so it could be a marker for space cowboys where to fill up their canteens.

 

[Tiki Tom]

You are, of course, correct. Nonetheless: ¡Viva el misterio!

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I'd have to know a lot more about it. From the location & the expense I don't buy the artist theory. I would bet a lot of money it's a gov't instillation.

The wate is the reason the Bighorn sheep walk the ledge across that alcove.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Hmmm. I tend to agree that it seems unlikely that it would be the work of a wealthy artist who has no interest in his work ever being seen or recognized. Artists (especially rich ones) are all about ego and being seen and recognized. Although I guess there may be exceptions who like spending huge amounts on a project in the hope that people one day would scratch their heads about it. Could be. Who knows? On the other hand, if it was a Government installation, wouldn’t it at least have a fence and a “no trespassing” sign around it?

 

[Tiki Tom]

Now it seems that the government is considering removing the monolith, lest it become “a dangerous tourist destination”.

https://www.coasttocoastam.com/arti...h-located-on-google-earth-and-may-be-removed/

Hanger 18 at Wright-Patterson Airbase, here we come!

https://www.history.com/news/hangar-18-ufos-aliens-wright-patterson

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Hmmm. I tend to agree that it seems unlikely that it would be the work of a wealthy artist who has no interest in his work ever being seen or recognized. Artists (especially rich ones) are all about ego and being seen and recognized. Although I guess there may be exceptions who like spending huge amounts on a project in the hope that people one day would scratch their heads about it. Could be. Who knows? On the other hand, if it was a Government installation, wouldn’t it at least have a fence and a “no trespassing” sign around it?

It's not far from Dugway Proving Grounds where the US military develops & stores biological & chemical weapons. About 8-10 yrs ago Dugway was locked down for a time because some chemical nerve agents came up missing. If this monolith was installed sometime around 2015-2016 it could very well be a security device similar to what is used around the perimeter of Area 51. If the gov't doesn't want anyone to know what it is or who it belongs to I wouldn't expect them to fence it in & put up signage.

If it is made of 14 gauge stainless steel (about as light in gauge you would want to go) & it's a minimum of 12" wide X 4 sides (probably more like 14-16" wide) & 12 ft long, then it weights more than 350 lbs. An artist could not bring that in by pack mule & being 12 ft long. If a truck can not get in there it would have to be by helicopter, which increases costs significantly & leaves a paper trail.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

It's not far from Dugway Proving Grounds where the US military develops & stores biological & chemical weapons. About 8-10 yrs ago Dugway was locked down for a time because some chemical nerve agents came up missing. If this monolith was installed sometime around 2015-2016 it could very well be a security device similar to what is used around the perimeter of Area 51. If the gov't doesn't want anyone to know what it is or who it belongs to I wouldn't expect them to fence it in & put up signage.

If it is made of 14 gauge stainless steel (about as light in gauge you would want to go) & it's a minimum of 12" wide X 4 sides (probably more like 14-16" wide) & 12 ft long, then it weights more than 350 lbs. An artist could not bring that in by pack mule & being 12 ft long. If a truck can not get in there it would have to be by helicopter, which increases costs significantly & leaves a paper trail.

I also forgot a few yrs ago as the gov't prepared to move back towards space exploration, both in the public & private sector, Dugway was one of several gov't locations as designated to serve as a landing spot. Perhaps the monolith has something to do with a guidance system or something to do with that?

 

[Lean'n'mean]

It's difficult to see what purpose a single slap of metal hidden in a rock alcove would serve if it was a military instalation. Presumably it doesn't emit any signals, so would be invisible for aircraft or missiles unless they flew directly above it & even then, what would it serve. So I can't see it being used as part of some kind of guidance system, especially as the rocky cliffs around it would likely block or deflect any signals directed at it.
The texture, color & dulled reflectiveness ressembles very much the aluminium alloy stays often used in rucksacks, so I'm sticking with that for the metal so it wouldn't require major transportation to bring it in. The object itself is perfect, it has been perfectly installed, perfectly perpendicular & the cement at the base has been 'artistically' blended in with the surrounding stone to give the illusion that it grew from the ground or had been installed by some form of alien technology......it's highly unlikely the military would go to such lengths. And I wouldn't be surprised if the front of it was facing a specific cardinal point, just to add to it's mythological monolithical mystery.
I'm convinced that the water behind it has a major part to play in it's chosen location, either symbolically or a source of water in such an enviroment, would most probably increase the chance someone would stumble upon the 'statue'.
While my money is on it being some kind of conceptual art.....I'm ready to consider convincing alternatives.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

It's difficult to see what purpose a single slap of metal hidden in a rock alcove would serve if it was a military instalation. Presumably it doesn't emit any signals, so would be invisible for aircraft or missiles unless they flew directly above it & even then, what would it serve. So I can't see it being used as part of some kind of guidance system, especially as the rocky cliffs around it would likely block or deflect any signals directed at it.
The texture, color & dulled reflectiveness ressembles very much the aluminium alloy stays often used in rucksacks, so I'm sticking with that for the metal so it wouldn't require major transportation to bring it in. The object itself is perfect, it has been perfectly installed, perfectly perpendicular & the cement at the base has been 'artistically' blended in with the surrounding stone to give the illusion that it grew from the ground or had been installed by some form of alien technology......it's highly unlikely the military would go to such lengths. And I wouldn't be surprised if the front of it was facing a specific cardinal point, just to add to it's mythological monolithical mystery.
I'm convinced that the water behind it has a major part to play in it's chosen location, either symbolically or a source of water in such an enviroment, would most probably increase the chance someone would stumble upon the 'statue'.
While my money is on it being some kind of conceptual art.....I'm ready to consider convincing alternatives.

It's not aluminum. It's 304 Stainless Steel with a #2B finish. 304 Stainless Steel has a tensile strength of ~75,000 PSI & a yield strength of ~70,000 PSI. You're not going to pierce it, cut it, or break into it in the field. My opinion has 35+ yrs experience in Structural Steel Engineering, fabrication & erection behind it.

At RR crossings you will often see Stainless Steel "doghouses" that hold the computer & switching equipment to receive radio signals from the approaching train & activate the lights, the lowering of the crossing gates, etc. These doghouses are made of heavy Stainless Steel sheet because it is extremely impenetrable & resistant to vandalism.

If the fact is true that the gov't is going to move it for the protection of the public, that only implicates them even more in my view.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

It's not aluminum. It's 304 Stainless Steel with a #2B finish. 304 Stainless Steel has a tensile strength of ~75,000 PSI & a yield strength of ~70,000 PSI. You're not going to pierce it, cut it, or break into it in the field. My opinion has 35+ yrs experience in Structural Steel Engineering, fabrication & erection behind it.

At RR crossings you will often see Stainless Steel "doghouses" that hold the computer & switching equipment to receive radio signals from the approaching train & activate the lights, the lowering of the crossing gates, etc. These doghouses are made of heavy Stainless Steel sheet because it is extremely impenetrable & resistant to vandalism.

If the fact is true that the gov't is going to move it for the protection of the public, that only implicates them even more in my view.

View attachment 283866

I must have missed the bit about the stainless steel. If it was part of a signalling system, then that would mean that it contains some kind of electrical equipement, either emitting or receiving & therefore will require some form of power. It's unlikely there are any underground electrical cables in such terrain & batteries would require regular changing or recharging & there is no sign of solar panels nor an opening to access any batteries.
Though the fact that the military may be involved in it's removal might suggest that it has something to do with them, it's isolated location & with a military presence nearby, it would make more sense that they deal with removing an illegal structure on government land rather than the ill- equiped local authorities but that is just supposition on my part.
Also, if it was something the military wished to keep secret, surely they would have removed it discretely as soon as they knew it had been discovered rather than waiting until it made the news & became a tourist attraction.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Looks like a Google weather balloon from the upper atmospher crashed near Kayenta, AZ recently on the Navajo Rez.

 

[Zombie_61]

...If the fact is true that the gov't is going to move it for the protection of the public, that only implicates them even more in my view.

"Protection of the public" my foot. They're just angry 'cause we found out it was there, so now they have to find another place to put it.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

The 'monolith' has made it to Wiki. So, military, art or farce ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_monolith

 

[Lean'n'mean]

John McCracken has been named as a possible suspect (he died in 2011) as he was known for free standing metal sculptures.....
A few examples.

But if it is art, then it is more likely inspired by him rather than actually by him as the Utah 'monolith' lacks a certain purity so evident in McKracken's conceptions.
Anyway, these strange metallic structures are not as rare as one would imagine & are frequently used in the art & publicity world.
The location is certainly baffling but often in conceptual art, mere existance is it's raison d'être.
The truth is out there.

 

[Tiki Tom]

This has been fun. Great sleuthing done by all.

I confess that I was hoping it would turn out to be one solid slab of Element 115 or Magnesium infused metal. Maybe next time.

https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/...xceptionally-strong-and-lightweight-new-metal

 

[Hurricane Jack]

The 'monolith' has made it to Wiki. So, military, art or farce ?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_monolith

Some observations I make from wiki:

If it's three-sided @ 23" x 9.5 ft then it is fabricated from a standard size sheet of 72" x 120" (6x10). That means a full width sheet was used when you include the radius of the two breaks. It would also mean there is only ~6" below the dirt.

Only one rivet is shown & it's in an odd place, but if it is riveted together than a lighter gauge sheet could be used from what I originally thought. A riveted assembly would mean it has an open edge making it penetriable unless that edge has been welded. It also doesn't account for material handling bringing a 10 ft long piece 6 mi from the nearest road. The rivet could actually be holding something inside, especially if there are more than one rivet.

I always figured they would blame it on a dead guy.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Some observations I make from wiki:

If it's three-sided @ 23" x 9.5 ft then it is fabricated from a standard size sheet of 72" x 120" (6x10). That means a full width sheet was used when you include the radius of the two breaks. It would also mean there is only ~6" below the dirt.

Since the object has been there several years & has no doubt been subject to high desert winds , sand blasts & possible flash flooding & yet still stands perfectly vertical, 6 " below ground does seem rather short to hold such an object even if the emplacement hole was cut to perfectly insert the base. If there is only 6" below ground then there might be aditional rigid support poles or bars beneath the surface attached to or running up the interior of the 'monolith.'

one rivet is shown & it's in an odd place, but if it is riveted together than a lighter gauge sheet could be used from what I originally thought. A riveted assembly would mean it has an open edge making it penetriable unless that edge has been welded. It also doesn't account for material handling bringing a 10 ft long piece 6 mi from the nearest road. The rivet could actually be holding something inside, especially if there are more than one rivet.

Yeah, there doesen't appear to be lot of rivets keeping the thing together but it's hard to tell from the photos we have. Apparently a popped rivet was found close by.

The edges don't appear to be welded so dust, water & creepy crawlies could enter the interior, which does suggest that it doesn't contain any sensitive or sophisticated electronics.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

One thing we haven't considered is that ti might be a shrine of some kind. The deserts of the west & South west. are renowned for their...umm...how can I put it....eccentrics ? It would make perfect sense if a local cult or sect (life or alien worshippers, for example ) held secret ceremonies there at certain times of the year........as I've mentioned before, for me, the presence of water nearby is an important factor for the location of this thing & since water is the source of life & all that.....
Just thought I'd run it past you.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Face recognition software will confirm that, in reality, these characters all work for NASA’s Special Operations, Retrieval, and Intelligence Branch (SORIB). Cover story is “innocent fun and games with a transparently riveted together work of art.”

Quoting HJ: “I always figured they’d blame it on a dead guy.”

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Since the object has been there several years & has no doubt been subject to high desert winds , sand blasts & possible flash flooding & yet still stands perfectly vertical, 6 " below ground does seem rather short to hold such an object even if the emplacement hole was cut to perfectly insert the base. If there is only 6" below ground then there might be aditional rigid support poles or bars beneath the surface attached to or running up the interior of the 'monolith.'

For it to be a secure permanent structure it would have to be bolted to a concrete base. If it is a lighter weight work of art then it could be mounted to some type of earth mount driven down into the ground, but again it would take equipment to do that. If there are 3 pieces of pipe which would have to be longer than 10 ft in each corner which the panels are attached to, you can't drive a 10+ ft pipe into the ground with a sledgehammer. You could drive a shorter pipe into the ground for an earth mount' then clamp angle uprights to the top of the pipe. The panels could be fastened to the sides of the angle iron. Wind driven sand would not etch stainless steel but it would etch aluminum panels. And you would want to calculate wind loading when factoring how to erect.

The edges don't appear to be welded so dust, water & creepy crawlies could enter the interior, which does suggest that it doesn't contain any sensitive or sophisticated electronics.

I was assuming 2 corners had been formed in a press brake & the 3rd seam welded to make it secure. A fabrication shop would have to do it but 10 ft wide hydraulic press brakes are the standard width & common. 12 ft wide press brakes are less common, & 20 footers are rare. If it turns out there are mounted panels than it is not secure at all.