On the clear evening of March 13, 1997, an unexplained spectacle seized the attention of the residents of Phoenix, Arizona, and the surrounding areas. Dubbed “The Phoenix Lights,” this event remains one of the most discussed and puzzling cases in the annals of UFO sightings.

The Phoenix Lights were a series of widely sighted unidentified flying objects observed in the skies over Arizona, Nevada, and the Mexican state of Sonora. Witnesses, including pilots, police officers, and thousands of Arizona residents, reported seeing a massive V-shaped, coherently-moving dark UFO, producing no sound, and with five spherical lights, possibly light-emitting engines. The event is distinguished by two distinct phases: a triangular formation of lights witnessed passing over the state and a series of stationary lights seen over Phoenix city.

The first reports of sightings came in around 7:30 PM from Henderson, Nevada. The eyewitness claimed to see a V-shaped object with six lights on its leading edge. Shortly after, similar reports started coming in from various parts of Arizona. By 8:17 PM, the object was observed over Prescott Valley, Arizona. Witnesses reported that the object was distinctly solid, as it blocked out much of the starry sky as it passed over. Later, around 10 PM, an entirely different set of lights appeared over Phoenix – a series of stationary lights hovering in the sky, which eventually disappeared in the same order they appeared. The entire phenomenon lasted for several hours, captivating the public’s imagination and sparking countless theories.

The official explanation from the U.S. Air Force was that the second set of lights were flares dropped by a A-10 Warthog aircraft during a training exercise at the Barry Goldwater Range. However, this explanation was widely criticized, as many claimed the lights appeared before the alleged timing of the military exercises and the characteristic ‘dropping’ motion of flares was absent. Eyewitness accounts of the first event, the V-shaped object, have never been satisfactorily explained. Skeptics point towards military aircraft or atmospheric conditions as possible causes. In contrast, others firmly believe it to be an extraterrestrial spacecraft.

Over two decades later, the Phoenix Lights event remains a staple of UFO lore. Its widespread visibility, duration, and the number of witnesses make it a significant case in UFO sightings. The city of Phoenix acknowledges this unique piece of its history, with annual gatherings and news coverage to mark the event’s anniversary. Documentaries, books, and numerous discussions across various media platforms have kept the intrigue alive, attracting UFO enthusiasts, skeptics, and researchers alike.

The Phoenix Lights event represents one of the most compelling instances of mass UFO sightings in modern history. Whether viewed as an authentic extraterrestrial visitation or an extraordinary set of terrestrial circumstances, the Phoenix Lights continue to perplex and fascinate, providing fodder for ongoing debates about the existence of life beyond Earth.