32.866436,-114.385993 in google maps

[Kreuzung]

If I google these coordinates, I get the location in google maps, and a forum full of weird people building rockets in a video game...

[Nooblet68]

You didn't see anything.

(Points gun)

[ToadDude]

The Kerbals! They are landing on Earth! D:

[UKDan89]

It looks like it's on tracks, probably some sort of launcher?

[hollie.socks]

Firstly who actually cares what that thing in the middle of the desert is and secondly how the hell did you find that? HIGH FIVE!

[MaverickSawyer]

Looking at the surroundings (Yuma Proving Grounds), I found over a dozen others. I highly suspect that this (these) are firing locations for artillery systems. I'll run these by a buddy of mine who's with an atrillery unit for his opinion.

[MaverickSawyer]

OK, more thorough research has revealed this image, dated from June 26, 2011:

The marking in question is about 10 years old, and has not changed by any significant degree. It is also painted on a taxiway, not a runway. Either way, NOT a firing postion.

What is it? Beats me...

[crusaderuk]

Looks to me like the top-down view of an opened parachute

[JackAz]

Full of weird things on google maps

[Matokage]

Looks like a ginbal or just an ornament.

[ScratchXP]

Strange... .-. thinking what it is...

(Bling!)

The Airport's Logo?

Idk >.<

Edited September 8, 2012 by ScratchXP

[mikewalker11]

a sideways ferris wheel, end of.

[alline1999]

nah they discoverd lazers and would like to see what happend if they aimd it at 1 point and then they got a red ball if lazerness

and that happend when the google satelite dicided to take a picture

[Baippimibeedo]

I don\'t think they would have a flying saucer there since it\'s so close to a town.

You cheerfully told. Otherwise, you will not tell

[DonKamillo]

i guess that thing is a turning point for an aircraft or something. you know like this yf-35 or what it's called, the one with 90° thrust vectoring

EDIT: VTOL that's what it's called

[Ace_Of_Spades]

I've been there it is not secret it's probably just a helicopter seeing as its a proving ground for the military

[palker]

I guess a compensation circle. A place as distant as possible from sources of electromagnetic interference that is used to calibrate magnetic compass on aircraft with the radial spokes marking the headings.

[Nibb31]

The landing strip is part of Yuma Proving Ground, a US Army facility where they test weapons and military systems.

In Google Earth history layer, the object has been there since at least 2003. It's a bit weird to a permanent structure like that in the middle of a taxiway though. It looks a bit like a radial VOR navigation beacon that you usually see around airports, but it's also a strange place to put a VOR, and it has 24 spokes, whereas a VOR usually has 36. It has shadows, so it's a construction, not just a painted pattern on the ground.

I'm guessing it might be some sort of radial military radar or navigation aid. It could also be a test target for spy sats. Radial patterns are good for testing resolution and moiré effects on imaging systems.

Edited August 31, 2013 by Nibb31

[Moon Goddess]

I disagree with it being a construction, a balloon helicopter or anything not built into the concrete.

It's flat. Isn't new google maps pretty.

[Diche Bach]

What coordinates?

[Agent30632]

*cough* cough* Check the date this was made *cough* cough*

Seriously, why do people keep reviving old threads?

[Fr8monkey]

... Swamp Gas...

[LaydeeDem]

Bravo on checking the date of the last post guys! There needs to be a rule about necroing threads.