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Candlelight Vigil to Be Photographed from Space Hoax
Description: Email hoax
Status: False
Circulating since: Sept. 17, 2001
This is purely a hoax. Here are some samples of the hoax and then an analysis.
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Email text contributed by Sreenath Sreenivasan, 17 September 2001:
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Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2001 17:30:32 -0400
Subject: FW: Tonight
10:30 EASTERN TIME -- 9:30 Central -- 8:30 Mountain
-- 7:30 Pacific
I just heard on the radio that the U.S. has asked that
everyone step out on their lawns tonight at 10:30 and
light a candle. They will be taking a satellite picture of
the U.S. and posting it on the news tomorrow morning.
Please pass this on to as many people as possible.
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Email text contributed by VISI, 18 September 2001:
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Tuesday, September 18, 2001 9:52 AM
Subject: FW: Light a Candle Tonight
10:30 EASTERN TIME.... 9:30 Central, 8:30
Mountain,7:30 Pacific
I just heard on the radio that the U.S. has asked that
everyone step out on their lawns tonight at 10:30 and
light a candle. They will be taking a satellite picture of
the U.S. and posting it on the news tomorrow morning.
Please pass this on to as many people as possible.
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Email text contributed by Reggie, 18 September 2001:
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Broadcasted on the Radio:
To: People in The U S A
From: Nasa
This message originated from an individual at NASA :
U.S. has asked that everyone step out on their lawns
tonight (Tuesday September 18th) and light a candle.
They will be taking a satellite picture of the U.S.
and posting it on the news tomorrow morning.
Light your candles at:
10:30 Eastern
9:30 Central,
8:30 Mountain,
7:30 Pacific
Please pass this on to as many people as soon as
possible.
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False. As you can see from the specimens above,
the first of which appeared on Monday, September 17, the same
message is being recycled daily.
We don't know where the misinformation originated, but apart
from last Friday's (September 14) official Day of Prayer and
Remembrance for the victims of the recent terrorist attacks —
when many people did stand outside their homes with candles —
there has been no plan announced by the U.S. government for a
nationwide vigil, nor any mention of photographing such an event
by satellite.
Three further points:
- At 7:30 Pacific time it's still daylight on the west
coast
- All the electric lighting across the country would have
to be turned off in order for the candlelight to be visible
from a distance
- It's questionable in the first place whether candlelight
would be visible from outer space, even with space-spaced
satellites.
There's certainly no harm in people participating in such a
vigil if they choose, but be advised that the email messages are
misinformed. This is not an officially sanctioned event.
More from About.com:
Rumor
Watch: Terrorist Attacks on U.S.
A survey of rumors circulating in the wake of the September 11
catastrophe
Did
Nostradamus Predict the Attacks?
Fake passages attributed to the 16th century prophet are
circulating by email
A
Canadian's Tribute to America
This 30-year-old editorial is authentic, but not written to
commemorate the World Trade Center attack, as alleged
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