Phoenix Lights 1997

The Phoenix Lights refer to a series of widely reported unidentified flying object (UFO) sightings that occurred in the night sky over the city of Phoenix, Arizona, and surrounding areas in the United States on March 13, 1997. Thousands of people claimed to have witnessed the event, making it one of the most famous and well-documented UFO sightings in history.

The event consisted of two main parts:

First Sighting: Around 7:30 PM, a formation of lights was observed by numerous individuals moving in a V-shape formation across the sky. These lights were described as amber or orange in color and appeared to be connected or part of a larger, solid object. This sighting covered a significant portion of Arizona, from the Nevada border to Tucson.

Second Sighting: Later in the evening, around 10:30 PM, a series of stationary lights were reported in the sky over the city of Phoenix. These lights formed a linear pattern and were visible for several minutes before disappearing.

Numerous explanations have been proposed to account for the Phoenix Lights sightings. The initial V-shaped formation has been attributed to military flares dropped during training exercises in the Barry M. Goldwater Range, a military training area in southwestern Arizona. This explanation was supported by government officials, including the Arizona National Guard, who initially claimed responsibility.

However, the explanation for the second sighting of stationary lights remains more contentious. Some skeptics suggest that the second event could have been misidentified aircraft, while UFO enthusiasts argue that the lights were indicative of extraterrestrial activity. Due to the high-profile nature of the event and the number of eyewitnesses, the Phoenix Lights continue to be a subject of debate and intrigue within both the UFO community and the general public.

The Phoenix Lights incident has inspired documentaries, books, and ongoing discussions about the nature of the phenomenon and the reliability of eyewitness testimony. It remains an important case study in the field of ufology and a well-known event in pop culture.