Although there are several possible benign explanations for the image -- such as a barely perceptable jiggle of the camera as it took the time exposure -- NASA's zeal to examine the photo demonstrates the lengths at which the agency is going to tap the resources of ordinary Americans in solving the puzzle.

Has anyone seen a link to the actual picture?? I'm very curious to take a look at it, myself. Nothing's on the other news wires yet (I searched on "Shuttle San Francisco Streak" at Google (smirk)), so it's not released to the public yet, but if anyone does see it show up on a webpage somewhere, please Meme it!

S.F. man's astounding photo / Mysterious purple streak is shown hitting Columbia 7 minutes before it disintegrated