x
Breaking News
More () »

26 years later, the Phoenix Lights remain one of America's biggest UFO events

On March 13, 1997, almost all of Phoenix saw a wide 'V' of lights in the sky above the city. It's one of the biggest UFO sightings in the world.

PHOENIX — UFOs are so hot right now. After a slew of high-altitude balloons drifted over from China, America has been bombarding top military officials with calls about unexplainable sightings in the sky. But nothing comes close to the Phoenix Lights.

The event started in Nevada when a Henderson resident reportedly saw a V-shaped object with six lights on its leading edge pass overhead, flying southeast toward Arizona.

Over the next few hours, hundreds of people called in to the National UFO Reporting Center to describe the lights as they passed overhead.

Fife Symington, who was Arizona's governor at the time, revealed in 2007 he witnessed one of the UFOs during the 1997 event. Symington said in an episode of "UFO Hunters" the U.S. military would not give him information on the bizarre lights.

In the years since, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released a report about the government's findings on unidentified aerial phenomena... Better known as unidentified flying objects.

The nine-page report doesn't mention the Phoenix Lights. Sorry science fiction fans, but it also doesn't actually say that aliens are involved.

The U.S. Air Force said the lights were likely military flares dropped during a training exercise at the Barry Goldwater Air Force Range, according to the Arizona Republic. 

But whatever the lights were, they cemented Arizona's status as a hotbed for UFO activity.

An analysis recently done by the website Outforia found Arizona has the sixth most sightings of unknown flying objects in the country.

This year, the Phoenix Lights were featured in a special History Channel episode of the hit show History's Greatest Mysteries, hosted by actor Laurence Fishbourne.

The episode aired on March 6, but you can still catch it on the History/A & E Channels.

And if you really want to believe, the Phoenix Lights Network will be hosting their annual community event at the Scottsdale Harkins Shea Theater on March 19, 2023 from 1-5 p.m.

WE ❤ ARIZONA

Explore amAZing people, places and things across our state on our 12News YouTube playlist here.

Before You Leave, Check This Out