What on Earth were those lights over Phoenix?

SteveBsjb · 04-23-2008, 07:44 AM

What on Earth were those lights over Phoenix?
Jet? Flares? Balloons? UFO? Sighting remains a mystery

19 comments by John Faherty - Apr. 23, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

There were absolutely four lights. They appeared to hover in the sky.

They looked red or white, and they flickered. They were visible for nearly 15 minutes on Monday night.

The lights were seen by, among others, a Phoenix police-helicopter pilot, air-traffic controllers and a reporter. There was even an extended videotape.

But the lights were a mystery. A mystery that generated a lot of interest. By Tuesday afternoon, there were 125,000 page views of the story on azcentral.com, 600,000 page views on the photographs and 40,000 viewings of the video. The story was on the Drudge Report, FoxNews.com, ABC News and newspaper Web sites across the country. Almost immediately, there were theories about what the lights might be. Perhaps they were high-altitude flares that were visible from a great distance in the clear Arizona sky. Or maybe they were airplanes or helicopters or weather balloons.

One Phoenix man said he saw his neighbor launching small flares attached to helium balloons. The mystery couldn't be answered by civilian or military authorities. And perhaps, although this would have to be considered fairly unlikely, they were spaceships piloted by aliens.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command, which monitors the skies for security threats, said the organization did not know where the lights came from. Luke Air Force Base officials said that they didn't have any aircraft in the sky Monday night and that the lights were not part of any Air Force activities.

No agency thought it necessary to investigate the matter. It's the mystery of it all that makes people a little bit anxious. "We are in the Age of Technology; we assume we can know anything we want to know," said Chong Ho Yu, director of Arizona State University's Applied Learning Technology Institute and who has a doctorate in psychology.

For some, aliens are a preferred scenario to not knowing. "People become more anxious when they cannot know something," Yu said. "It makes us feel less and less secure." Angela Cotera, an astronomer from Avondale, did not see the lights, but she does work with the SETI Institute. SETI stands for Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence and is a respected scientific community with a goal to "explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe." With a research grant from NASA, Cotera researches how planets form around stars and whether they can sustain life. She will not be preparing a welcoming party for our "visitors." Cotera, who has a doctorate from Stanford University, says these sighting are almost always flares.

"They move counter to what we expect they should, especially when you see them from a great distance like we can here in Arizona," Cotera said. "They are not really hovering, it's simply perspective."

On Tuesday, many people were talking about a similar incident in March 1997, when a string of lights was visible over the city.

Just like that incident more than 10 years ago, people were intent on findings answers. And some people think it is interesting to watch people look for answers. "I have absolutely no doubt that these lights are an Earthly phenomenon. Perhaps something occurring in nature or man-made," said Dan Cook of Phoenix, a retired preacher and aerospace engineer. "The fact that man, in his infinite wisdom, cannot explain causes them to turn to the easiest answer. Aliens!"

glatt · 04-23-2008, 08:32 AM

Pictures? What kind of thread is this without a link or pictures?

Sheldonrs · 04-23-2008, 08:39 AM

I've seen those lights many times here in Phoenix. Once for an entire week, every night. It was a row of lights (about 7 of them) and they just hung there with one on the end fading and then brightening.
Personally, I think it's aliens playing a game of "Let's see what they say we are now". :-)

Shawnee123 · 04-23-2008, 08:44 AM

That was track lighting, Shel.

Sheldonrs · 04-23-2008, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

That was track lighting, Shel.

Only if my name were Mark, Rick or Steve. lol!!!

lookout123 · 04-23-2008, 10:28 AM

Still no reasonable believable explanation for the lights 11 years ago, but the ones from this week have been pretty well busted. A guy caught his neighbor releasing balloons with flairs attached. He watched them float up to the point that the balloons couldn't be seen, just the flairs.

He was on the news last night talking about it. The neighbor who did it refused to comment and slammed the door.

Shawnee123 · 04-23-2008, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheldonrs

Only if my name were Mark, Rick or Steve. lol!!!

Oh, I'd hoped you'd get that reference! :p

Sheldonrs · 04-23-2008, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

Oh, I'd hoped you'd get that reference! :p

It's in my blood.

ghostriderr6 · 04-28-2008, 05:19 AM

I know what the lights are. They are flares used by the Military on Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range range down by Gila Bend that are huge and they have a parachute on them so the heat from the flare will keep them afloat longer and they do move a little because of the wind. They will last foe hours. I wish the news channels would just come out and say what they were, they know what they are but they keep dragging it along just to keep everyone going so they'll have a story for the 10:00 news. I travel from Phoenix to Yuma quite often and I've seen them pretty close before.

xoxoxoBruce · 04-28-2008, 07:24 AM

Welcome to the Cellar, ghostriderr6.

Are those flares shot from the ground or dropped from planes?

04-23-2008, 07:44 AM	#1
SteveBsjb Operations Operative Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Moved from Manhattan to Edgewater, NJ. Posts: 713	What on Earth were those lights over Phoenix? What on Earth were those lights over Phoenix? Jet? Flares? Balloons? UFO? Sighting remains a mystery 19 comments by John Faherty - Apr. 23, 2008 12:00 AM The Arizona Republic There were absolutely four lights. They appeared to hover in the sky. They looked red or white, and they flickered. They were visible for nearly 15 minutes on Monday night. The lights were seen by, among others, a Phoenix police-helicopter pilot, air-traffic controllers and a reporter. There was even an extended videotape. But the lights were a mystery. A mystery that generated a lot of interest. By Tuesday afternoon, there were 125,000 page views of the story on azcentral.com, 600,000 page views on the photographs and 40,000 viewings of the video. The story was on the Drudge Report, FoxNews.com, ABC News and newspaper Web sites across the country. Almost immediately, there were theories about what the lights might be. Perhaps they were high-altitude flares that were visible from a great distance in the clear Arizona sky. Or maybe they were airplanes or helicopters or weather balloons. One Phoenix man said he saw his neighbor launching small flares attached to helium balloons. The mystery couldn't be answered by civilian or military authorities. And perhaps, although this would have to be considered fairly unlikely, they were spaceships piloted by aliens. The North American Aerospace Defense Command, which monitors the skies for security threats, said the organization did not know where the lights came from. Luke Air Force Base officials said that they didn't have any aircraft in the sky Monday night and that the lights were not part of any Air Force activities. No agency thought it necessary to investigate the matter. It's the mystery of it all that makes people a little bit anxious. "We are in the Age of Technology; we assume we can know anything we want to know," said Chong Ho Yu, director of Arizona State University's Applied Learning Technology Institute and who has a doctorate in psychology. For some, aliens are a preferred scenario to not knowing. "People become more anxious when they cannot know something," Yu said. "It makes us feel less and less secure." Angela Cotera, an astronomer from Avondale, did not see the lights, but she does work with the SETI Institute. SETI stands for Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence and is a respected scientific community with a goal to "explore, understand and explain the origin, nature and prevalence of life in the universe." With a research grant from NASA, Cotera researches how planets form around stars and whether they can sustain life. She will not be preparing a welcoming party for our "visitors." Cotera, who has a doctorate from Stanford University, says these sighting are almost always flares. "They move counter to what we expect they should, especially when you see them from a great distance like we can here in Arizona," Cotera said. "They are not really hovering, it's simply perspective." On Tuesday, many people were talking about a similar incident in March 1997, when a string of lights was visible over the city. Just like that incident more than 10 years ago, people were intent on findings answers. And some people think it is interesting to watch people look for answers. "I have absolutely no doubt that these lights are an Earthly phenomenon. Perhaps something occurring in nature or man-made," said Dan Cook of Phoenix, a retired preacher and aerospace engineer. "The fact that man, in his infinite wisdom, cannot explain causes them to turn to the easiest answer. Aliens!" __________________ "It's only an internet community."

04-23-2008, 08:39 AM	#3
Sheldonrs Master Dwellar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,412	I've seen those lights many times here in Phoenix. Once for an entire week, every night. It was a row of lights (about 7 of them) and they just hung there with one on the end fading and then brightening. Personally, I think it's aliens playing a game of "Let's see what they say we are now". :-) __________________ Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and the world laughs AT you.

04-23-2008, 08:44 AM	#4
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	That was track lighting, Shel. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

04-23-2008, 10:28 AM	#6
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	Still no reasonable believable explanation for the lights 11 years ago, but the ones from this week have been pretty well busted. A guy caught his neighbor releasing balloons with flairs attached. He watched them float up to the point that the balloons couldn't be seen, just the flairs. He was on the news last night talking about it. The neighbor who did it refused to comment and slammed the door. __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

04-28-2008, 05:19 AM	#9
ghostriderr6 Dunatic Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1	Lights I know what the lights are. They are flares used by the Military on Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range range down by Gila Bend that are huge and they have a parachute on them so the heat from the flare will keep them afloat longer and they do move a little because of the wind. They will last foe hours. I wish the news channels would just come out and say what they were, they know what they are but they keep dragging it along just to keep everyone going so they'll have a story for the 10:00 news. I travel from Phoenix to Yuma quite often and I've seen them pretty close before.

04-23-2008, 08:32 AM	#2
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Pictures? What kind of thread is this without a link or pictures?

04-28-2008, 07:24 AM	#10
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Welcome to the Cellar, ghostriderr6. Are those flares shot from the ground or dropped from planes? __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

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