Buzz
While the Roswell incident of 1947 is often credited with popularizing UFOs, history is filled with bizarre events that, if witnessed today, would undoubtedly be classified as UFO sightings. Below are 10 such occurrences, all documented before the 1900s.
10. The Hatton Garden Incident - London, 1809
In 1809, John Staveley, an English astronomer, reported a peculiar observation in the skies above Hatton Garden to The Journal of Natural History And Philosophy And Chemistry.
Staveley described witnessing a dark cloud surrounded by meteors and illuminated by flashes of lightning. Initially, he assumed it was an unusual meteor shower, but his perspective changed when one of the objects expanded to the brilliance and magnitude of Venus. Realizing this was no ordinary phenomenon, he watched as the object paused, dimmed, and then disappeared entirely.
Staveley observed the phenomenon for approximately an hour, noting how the lights moved erratically within the dark cloud, defying the behavior of natural celestial objects like meteors. His background as an astronomer and his decision to document the event in a reputable journal of the era lend a degree of credibility to his account.
9. UFO Over St Albans - England, 1254
On January 1, 1254, monks in St Albans, Hertfordshire, witnessed what they described as a 'large, beautifully crafted ship of extraordinary color' hovering in the sky.
The sighting occurred during New Year’s Day celebrations, ensuring multiple witnesses. The monks, gathered at the church, observed the silent vessel as it seemed to 'paint the sky.' Matthew of Paris meticulously recorded the event, even noting the Moon was in its eighth day and the sky was filled with stars.
The ship eventually ascended without incident, leading to speculation that it might have been a cloud that dissipated over time. While some suggest Matthew’s account may have been embellished, there is no doubt that an unusual event was witnessed that night.
A comparable event took place in 1290 at Byland Abbey in Yorkshire. The abbot and a group of monks observed a 'large, round, silver disc' moving swiftly across the sky above them.
8. The Aerial Battle Over Basel - Switzerland, 1566
On August 7, 1566, residents of Basel, Switzerland, reported not just multiple UFOs but also what seemed to be a skyborne battle. Samuel Coccius, a local newspaper writer, documented the extraordinary event in detail.
At dawn that day, numerous large, dark spheres were observed racing across the sky. They appeared to collide with one another, as if engaged in combat. Many of these objects turned a fiery red before vanishing. The event lasted for hours, leaving the townspeople in awe of what they had seen. UFO experts have pointed out that the movement of these objects closely resembles descriptions in contemporary UFO reports.
A strikingly similar event was documented by Hans Glaser in Nuremberg five years prior. Villagers awoke to bizarre objects in the sky, which seemed to be locked in an aerial battle.
7. The Airship Sightings of 1897
In 1897, a series of airship sightings swept across North America, beginning in November 1896 in San Francisco. Hundreds of people reported seeing an airship moving 'against the wind' and equipped with 'searchlights' as it traversed the sky. Later that night, similar sightings were reported in Santa Rosa and Sacramento, likely involving the same mysterious craft.
Over the following months, numerous accounts of these strange airships emerged. While some were later debunked as hoaxes, many sightings were considered credible, supported by reliable witnesses. One notable event occurred on April 10, 1897, when thousands in Chicago observed the airship in the sky.
By the time the sightings reached Texas, they took an even stranger turn. John Barclay claimed to have been approached by the airship's 'crew,' who requested supplies and tools. Intrigued, Barclay complied. Before departing, one crew member cryptically told Barclay they were 'from anywhere' but would be in Greece by the following day.
6. Ship Drops an Anchor from the Sky - Ireland, 1211
As recorded in the 13th-century manuscript *The King’s Mirror*, an anchor tied to a rope reportedly fell from the sky during a Sunday service in Cloera, Ireland, in 1211. The rope tightened and dragged across the ground before snagging on the church's arch. A crowd gathered, and as they gazed upward, they could faintly discern the outline of a ship's hull in the sky.
After about 10 minutes, a figure emerged from the ship and descended the rope, moving as if swimming through water. Upon noticing the assembled crowd, the figure panicked, retreated to the vessel, and severed the rope before the ship departed. The anchor was reportedly displayed in the church as evidence of the event.
This account bears a striking resemblance to a story recounted by chronicler Gervase of Tilbury around the same period. In this version, churchgoers leaving Sunday mass in an unnamed English village found an anchor caught on a tombstone, with a rope extending into the clouds. A man descended the rope but was seized by villagers and later died, supposedly due to the Earth's dense and humid atmosphere.
5. Flying Saucer Over Kii Province - Japan, 1180
The term 'flying saucer' is commonly believed to have originated in 1947 when a newspaper reporter heard Kenneth Arnold describe UFOs he observed while flying. Arnold likened their movement to a saucer skimming across water. Although he didn’t use the term himself, 'flying saucers' quickly became a global media sensation.
However, a Japanese fisherman used a strikingly similar description 800 years earlier. He and his companions witnessed a bizarre, glowing object in the night sky, which they compared to an 'earthen-ware vessel.' The UFO was first seen emerging from Mount Nyoigadake in Kii province, moving northeast before abruptly changing direction and vanishing over the horizon, leaving behind a radiant trail.
4. General Yoritsune Orders the First UFO Investigation - Japan, 1235
If Japan can stake a claim to the term 'flying saucer,' it may also hold the distinction of conducting the first official UFO investigation. According to the *Azuma Kagami*, a medieval Japanese text, General Yoritsune and his troops observed mysterious lights in the night sky in 1235, 55 years after the Kii province incident.
The lights continued their display for hours, swirling around each other and tracing loops across the sky. Deeply unsettled, Yoritsune tasked his most learned advisors with investigating the phenomenon. Their conclusion mirrored many modern UFO explanations, as they assured the general there was no cause for alarm. They attributed the event to natural causes, stating it was merely 'the wind, making the stars sway.'
3. Mass UFO Sighting Over Tennessee College - 1853
In the early hours of June 1, 1853, students at Tennessee College awoke to see two unusual objects in the night sky. One resembled a moon, while the other appeared as a star. The moon-like object gradually shrank until it disappeared, while the star-like object expanded, transforming first into a globe and then into an elongated shape aligned with the horizon.
Professor A.C. Carnes documented the event in a letter to Scientific American:
The first object reappeared and grew swiftly in size, while the second shrank. This alternating pattern continued for roughly 30 minutes. Despite the windy conditions and passing clouds, the lights remained fixed in one location.
The students turned to Carnes and other professors for an explanation, but no one could provide a definitive answer. Carnes suggested it might have been some form of electrical energy, while Scientific American proposed it could have been atmospheric moisture in the clouds. To this day, the event remains unexplained.
2. The Great Ball of Fire Over Robozero - Russia, 1663
Shortly after noon on August 15, 1663, most of the residents of Robozero, Russia, were inside the village church when they heard a 'tremendous crash from the sky.' Alarmed, they rushed outside to investigate the source of the noise.
A 'ball of fire' emerged from the clear sky, accompanied by two 'fiery beams,' and moved across the heavens, passing over the church before disappearing toward the lake.
An hour later, the object reappeared above the lake, coming within 500 meters (1,600 ft) of the villagers before vanishing again. On its third appearance, it lingered for an hour and a half, instilling great dread in all who saw it. Fishermen on the lake suffered burns from the object's intense heat, and the entire lake glowed as if coated in rust.
1. The First Documented UFO Sighting in North America - Massachusetts, 1638
Governor John Winthrop's journal contains what is considered the first recorded UFO sighting in North America. He noted that James Everell, a 'sober, discreet' man, along with two unnamed companions, observed a massive light in the night sky over the Muddy River near Boston.
The witnesses reported that the object flared brightly when stationary and assumed the shape of a pig when in motion. This description likely stemmed from Everell's familiarity with swine, as he was a pig farmer. The UFO may have resembled a cigar-shaped craft.
The trio pursued the lights for approximately 1.6 kilometers (1 mi), observing that it moved 'as fast as an arrow' before vanishing. Winthrop's journal remains the sole surviving record of this event.
