PARADISE ACRES, Ossian, IA - On Thursday, April 23, 2015 in the early evening, I noticed what looked to be condensation in the center of a window pane on a door that leads out to the back deck - facing the west. In the middle of the "condensation" were two perfect circles - each with eight detached "spokes." I asked Tammy how long that image had been there, and she said most of the afternoon. I went over to see if the "condensation" and circles were on the inside or the outside of the window. They definitely weren't on the inside, so I opened the door and on the outside, rubbed on the outer edge of the condensation border with my index finger. It didn't immediately come off, and so at first I thought that maybe this condensation/image might actually be between the thermopanes. But as I continued to rub with greater pressure, the "condensation" gradually came off - kind of like the pressure you'd use when trying to remove a lime deposit on bathtub. It was almost like it was etched into the glass. At the time we were heading out the door to Decorah to eat, so we took off. When we returned an hour or so later, the image was completely gone - absolutely no trace of it. We kicked ourselves that we hadn't taken a photo before we headed to Decorah!

The next day there was still no sign of it. Two days later, I shined a black light on the window and tried steaming it up with my breath (like you do with a pair of glasses) to see if any remnant of the image reappeared - but nothing. Strangest thing! I Googled: "strange circles on window pane" and got a couple hits - but nothing substantial. There was one comment on a paranormal forum in which someone mentioned that these could be images from suction cups used to position glass. But this door has been there 25+ years and has been washed dozens of times inside and out; and there has never been an image like this appear on the window in all those years. In another online discussion of a similar event, a fellow had posted a picture; but the link to the picture was broken - so I never did get to see if it looked similar.

Four days later on Monday, April 27 while I was performing in Cedar Rapids, Tammy noticed that the circles had returned! This time she grabbed the camera, so now we have PROOF that we're not losing our minds!

Below are three of the actual photos.

Could this be a variation on crop circles but only on a window pane?! Whatever they are, it's a very intriguing mystery. So if any of you have an answer, please drop me an email!

Doug Koempel / May 9, 2015
(click here to email)
MYSTERY CIRCLES!
Looking from the outside.
Looking from the inside (note faint image of 2nd circle to left.)
Doug Koempel © 2015
Wide shot from inside.
Check out this related case: Car window phenomenon