Researchers at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and the National Weather Service are working to figure out why radars are showing a mysterious blob above Redstone Arsenal after 1:45 p.m. today, the Times' news partner WHNT News 19 is reporting.

The anomaly showed up late this afternoon and was centered near the northwest edge of Redstone Arsenal close to Zierdt Road and Madison Boulevard/I-565. WHNT reported it was first believed the radar image was being caused by a damaged substation in the Madison or West Huntsville area.

However, Huntsville Utilities used a spectral analyzer to see if a frequency generated at the substation was "tricking" the radar but tests showed no damage or other problems that could be causing the image.

Radar showed no chaff as would be deployed from military aircraft, clouds or anything else in the sky that might be causing the image. Arsenal officials said they did not know what was causing the echo to appear.

While no one seems to know what caused the image, the conspiracy theorists are already abuzz. Posters on various internet sites said a white substance was falling from the sky in the area of Zierdt Road during the same time, while others pointed to another cause - aliens.

Update: Wednesday morning's radar looks clear of mysterious blobs but there does seem to be some rain headed our way. At 10:15 p.m. Tuesday, Times' news partner WHNT News 19 reported the blob was still showing on radar but was dissipating quickly.

