# What is this holy looking object? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 25, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384 "2013-02-25T23:00:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![The\_Niply\_Elder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@The\_Niply\_Elder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Niply_Elder)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/21 "2013-02-26T07:27:48Z")
A ball of golf. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/22 "2013-02-26T09:33:33Z")
I’ll guess a close up of the base of an electronic cigarette (Lavatube) made by Volcano I’ll take the Walmart card ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/23 "2013-02-26T12:04:06Z")
Call me old fashioned, but in my experience golfballs are spherical. This image is clearly flat and rectangular. Though I do think they’re dimples and not holes, so that does temporarily confuse me. Is it a soap dish? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/24 "2013-02-26T12:30:39Z")
Holy, huh? Obviously, it is a **thurible** cover. That’s the thing Catholics use to burn incense. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/25 "2013-02-26T14:06:05Z")
I would have thought that it was a Rhinovirus as seen through an electron microscope. As virus do not pass the scientific tests of living, yet do not act like inert dead, I would classify it as living-dead, and as such, _most unholy_. Ask anyone with a cold. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Archeonomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7cd45c/32.png) [@Archeonomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archeonomist)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/26 "2013-02-26T14:12:20Z")
The Holy Hand Grenade? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/27 "2013-02-26T15:04:30Z")
thimble? Did you ever get a confirmed answer to the last one? ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/28 "2013-02-26T15:19:32Z")
[Thimble](https://www.google.com/search?q=thimble&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=B12&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=PNIsUb3pN-TVyQGD64HAAQ&ved=0CEkQsAQ&biw=1079&bih=701#imgrc=b-OooH7FzGx06M%3A%3BFbNMg7EsWA2xEM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fus.123rf.com%252F400wm%252F400%252F400%252Fsise%252Fsise1103%252Fsise110300028%252F9091094-sewing-thimble-isolated-on-white-background.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.123rf.com%252Fphoto_9091094_sewing-thimble-isolated-on-white-background.html%3B1200%3B804) is a very good guess. StG ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/29 "2013-02-26T15:25:30Z")
Holy Looking Object, Batman! ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/30 "2013-02-26T15:26:23Z")
St. Mary? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/31 "2013-02-26T15:36:18Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Call me old fashioned, but in my experience golfballs are spherical. This image is clearly flat and rectangular. This is not a golf ball. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/32 "2013-02-26T15:36:53Z")
A thimble would not create the creased edge, the side of the thimble from the vantage point shown would have it appearing more rounded, yet there’s a defined line, as if the metal face was tucked down into some kind of crease, perhaps attaching it to a matching metal piece. These left-right oriented lines that can be seen above and below the pic indicate this object is not spherical. I think the microphone cover is the best guess so far, at least most accurately conveying the shape of whatever this is. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/33 "2013-02-26T15:37:55Z")
Microplane? (aka a “zester”.) ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/34 "2013-02-26T15:57:03Z")
Also when looking at the object closely, you can see the light disappearing into a couple of the dimple/concave areas, and from that I get the impression that those are indeed complete holes in the object, rather than sunken depressions of some sort, like golf ball dimples for example. The crease looks really heavy, the two left-right lines above and below the edge of the object. If we were looking down at the side of a rounded cylinder, those lines I don’t think would appear so pronounced and heavy. It looks like it might be a seam of some sort. I should not go out on a limb though to suggest this material is metal, so little to go on. The metallic look could be painted plastic, or indeed just the lighting. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/35 "2013-02-26T16:02:06Z")
nvm ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/36 "2013-02-26T16:06:36Z")
I agree with golf ball. It was my very first thought. ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/37 "2013-02-26T16:12:25Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I agree with golf ball. It was my very first thought. There are lines that run left-right, can be seen at the upper and lower edge of object, lets say to define the edge of the golf ball. But when looking at those lines, and especially the bottom one, you can see it trails straight with the little light it has to illuminate. It does not follow the curve of a ball. I think this object has cylindrical properties (at least the face of this object shows cylindrical properties) but it cannot be a sphere. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/38 "2013-02-26T16:49:52Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > This is not a golf ball. Ne c’est pas une balle de golf. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/39 "2013-02-26T16:58:00Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Call me old fashioned, but in my experience golfballs are spherical. This image is clearly flat and rectangular. At first observation, it looks spherical and I thought golfball as well. However, I saved it and opened in a photo software to play with contrast and brightness. There I can see the edges mentioned, and that the object is rectangular. However, the surface still seems curved. Specifically, the bright spot is round and falls off consistently in all directions, it fades quickly from very bright to very dark around the edges. Adjusting the brightness affects the curved look. Dim the surroundings and the curved look stands out. Brighten the edges and the surface looks more flat. Could be an artifact of the light rather than the surface being curved. The bumps look like dimples, not through holes. The two in the very center of the bright spot might be through holes, but all the rest reflect light from the bottom of the dimple, as observed by varying the brightness. Or else there’s light from the other side visible. Hmmm. I’m going to say it’s a thingamabop, though it also could be a whatchamacallit. Not really a widget. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2013, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384/40 "2013-02-26T17:04:52Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > Ne c’est pas une balle de golf. Yeah, I didn’t want to get it wrong, I figured the English translation would get the point across. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-holy-looking-object/651384.md?page=3)