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Today is World UFO Day. Here's a look back at some of Arizona's unexplained phenomenon

The Grand Canyon State has been at the center of several high-profile UFO incidents.
Credit: kolbass - stock.adobe.com

PHOENIX — The truth is out there. It's a phrase adopted by enthusiasts looking to unravel the mystery behind unidentified flying objects. 

For decades, people have tried to learn more about UFOs and provide insight into this phenomenon, but not much is known. While very much a mystery, UFOs are a large part of pop culture and they are very much celebrated by many.

Especially on days like today. July 2 is World UFO Day. 

To celebrate, let's take a look back at some of the more famous UFO incidents in Arizona.

The Phoenix Lights

 It was a day 27 years ago that thousands of people in Arizona will remember for the rest of their lives.                                        

On March 13, 1997, many Valley residents reported witnessing mysterious lights and objects moving across Arizona's skies. Hundreds of people called the National UFO Reporting Center to describe the lights as they passed overhead.

FULL STORY: 27 years since the Phoenix Lights incident, Arizona still a hotbed for UFO activity

The 'Fire in the Sky'

Turned into a feature film in 1993, the infamous incident was about an Arizona logger that mysteriously disappeared for five days in an alleged encounter with a flying saucer in 1975. 

UFO-like clouds?

These clouds may not be alien in nature, but their saucer-like shape very much triggers UFO-type feels. Have you seen clouds that look like something from another world?

No, it's not aliens or UFOs, there is a scientific explanation for these cloud formations that look like flying saucers. 12News meteorologist Ginger Jeffries explains how these unique clouds are formed.

READ: How are giant saucer-looking clouds formed? Here's the explanation.

Arizona is a UFO hotbed

Nearly 5,000 sightings have been reported in Arizona since the 1970s. Only a handful have been highlighted by the center as "most credible" or "very interesting."

State 48 is a hotbed for unexplained aerial phenomena. Out of all 50 states, Arizona is No. 7 for the highest reports of UFO sightings in the nation, according to data from the National UFO Reporting Center.

Since 1974, the center has gathered information from across the world on unknown lights and objects in the sky. More than 170,000 reports have been processed by the center-- with almost 5,000 of those reports coming from right here in Arizona. 

FULL STORY: 'Very interesting video': National UFO Reporting Center highlights 'most credible' Arizona sightings

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