Phoenix Lights

A V-shaped formation of lights was reported moving south-east from the Nevada line, over Prescott Valley and Phoenix to Tucson. Later that night a stationary row of amber lights was widely filmed over Phoenix. The event remains one of the most-witnessed UFO events in U.S. history.

Explanation

The ~20:00–20:45 V-formation was traced to A-10 aircraft of Operation Snowbird returning to Davis-Monthan AFB; the ~22:00 row of lights filmed over Phoenix were LUU-2 flares dropped over the Barry Goldwater Range. Some witnesses, including then-governor Fife Symington, reject this.

What was seen

Shape: Huge V / carpenter’s square with five lights
Witnesses: Thousands along a 300-mile corridor
Duration: ~2.5 hours

Browse

• United States
• 1990s
• Explained
• Mass sightings
• Many independent witnesses
• Photographs
• Video footage
• Lights and fireballs
• Triangles and V shapes

Similar cases

• Hudson Valley "Westchester boomerang" 24 July 1984
• Southern Illinois police sightings 5 January 2000
• The Los Angeles “UFO” — SpaceX Iridium-4 launch 22 December 2017
• Michigan "swamp gas" sightings 20 March 1966