# Big, Blue BALLS (the mirrored kind)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-blue-balls-the-mirrored-kind/5957>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 9, 2000, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-blue-balls-the-mirrored-kind/5957 "2000-01-09T23:29:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2000, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-blue-balls-the-mirrored-kind/5957/1 "2000-01-09T23:29:00Z")

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I’ve seen these in people’s rose gardens. Big mirrored blue (or silver) balls on pedstals. They might just be decorative; but the pedstals , & the formal way the gardens are laid out seem, well, ceremonial or symbolic.

Well, how 'bout it? Is there a symbolic meaning to these orbs? Or are they just spare parts from UFOs? (attn Extra Krispy: their for sale, at the right price!) Give me the Straight Dope.

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“Show me a sane man, and I will cure him for you.”----Jung

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**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2000, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-blue-balls-the-mirrored-kind/5957/2 "2000-01-10T00:26:00Z")

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They’re called “Gazing balls” and date back to Victorian times. They come in a variety of colors (not just blue) and are set in a garden to reflect images which supposedly entertain you if you have simple enough tastes, or your TV is broken. There was an earlier thread about them, I believe.

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Marge: “You know, Homer, it’s very easy to criticize.”  
Homer: “Fun, too!”