Most of us are at least a little freaked out by things we experience that we cannot explain. Is there a shadow universe out there full of scary creatures? Do they sometimes reveal themselves at night in the form of weird lights zooming around and disappearing? Do you sometimes sense you are being watched even though no one is around?
I have heard a multitude of stories from family, friends, and acquaintances about scary or weird experiences involving bright lights. Lights that seemingly defy the laws of physics. I have seen things that seemed very odd at the time, exclaiming, did you see that!?
Historically, they have been called UFOs. Today we use the acronym UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon) for the lights that appear out of nowhere and disappear quickly. From the start they have been controversial, either called mistakes or lies.
The first (and controversial of course) written report of a UAP comes from the Tulli Papyrus, claimed to be transcribed from a Papyrus written during the reign of Thutmose III. It describes “fiery disks, or circles” floating in the sky. As with many claims, this one has been chalked up to fakery and deception. Not surprising in the world of antiquity collection.
Numerous sightings have been reported since then, from Pliny the Elder in 76 BCE, reporting a spark coming from a falling star, then ascending back to the heavens…to current times. A few of the interesting ones:
- April 4, 1561, Nuremberg: Witnesses saw spheres and cylinders apparently in aerial combat
- August 7, 1566, Basel, Switzerland: Reports of numerous spherical objects exiting the Sun
- September 22, 1609, Gangwon Province, Korea: Witnesses saw a bright halo or washbowl
- April 17, 1897, Aurora, Texas: An “airship” traveling around the country, ending up crashing into a windmill tower, exploding and destroying the ship. A body was recovered, determined to be “not of this Earth”, and buried.
- 1909, Otago, New Zealand: Moving lights and other bodies in the sky were reported
- 1940s, Europe and the Pacific, World War II: Military pilots described chasing unidentified phenomena, subsequently called Foo Fighters
- June 24,1947, Washington State: Private pilot Kenneth Arnold reported seeing nine shiny objects (saucers) traveling at a high rate of speed. Later in the year other objects similar to those described by Arnold were seen around the US. This is the incident credited for the term “flying saucer”.
- July 8, 1947, Corona, NM: The “Roswell Incident” is the fantastic story of a flying “disk” crashing on ranch land. Was it a weather balloon? Was it a secret military communication or spying test vehicle? Was it extraterrestrial?
Sightings continue today and have been complicated by reports of abduction and examination by extraterrestrial beings. While the vast majority can be explained by natural phenomena, and others revealed as hoaxes, their remain many unexplained experiences.
What’s in the Sky?
Mars is at opposition, high in the sky and bright. Jupiter and Saturn continue to be good targets.