On the evening of March 13, 1997, something extraordinary happened over the skies of Arizona. Thousands of people, from everyday residents to pilots and police officers, witnessed a series of unexplained lights hovering above Phoenix and its surrounding areas. Known today as the “Phoenix Lights,” this event remains one of the most famous and widely debated UFO sightings in modern history. What exactly did people see that night? Was it a trick of the eye, a military experiment, or something truly out of this world? Nearly three decades later, the mystery lingers.
The First Sighting: A V-Shaped Formation
The night began with reports of a V-shaped formation of lights moving slowly across the sky. Witnesses described it as a massive, silent craft—some estimated it to be as large as a mile wide—gliding over the state from the northwest to the southeast. The first sighting came around 7:30 p.m. near Henderson, Nevada, before the object, or objects, crossed into Arizona. By 8:00 p.m., people in Prescott, about 100 miles north of Phoenix, were calling local authorities to report the unusual sight. As it moved south, the lights passed over the Phoenix metropolitan area, captivating onlookers below.
What made this sighting so compelling was the sheer number of witnesses. Families stepped outside their homes, drivers pulled over on highways, and even air traffic controllers at Sky Harbor International Airport took notice. Many described five distinct lights arranged in a chevron pattern, glowing an eerie amber or reddish hue. Others insisted it was a single, solid object with lights embedded in its structure, blocking out the stars as it passed overhead.
The Second Event: Flares or Something More?
Later that night, around 10:00 p.m., a second wave of lights appeared, this time over the Barry M. Goldwater Range, a military testing area southwest of Phoenix. Unlike the earlier V-shaped formation, these lights were stationary, hovering in a line before blinking out one by one. The U.S. Air Force later claimed responsibility for this second event, stating that A-10 Warthog aircraft had dropped flares during a training exercise. But for many, this explanation didn’t account for the earlier, more dramatic sighting of the moving craft.
Videos captured that night show both sets of lights, though the quality is grainy, typical of 1990s camcorders. The footage fueled speculation, with some arguing the second event was a deliberate distraction from the first. Skeptics, however, pointed to the flares as evidence that the entire evening could be explained by military activity.
Eyewitness Accounts and Public Reaction
The Phoenix Lights weren’t just a fleeting curiosity—they left a lasting impression on those who saw them. Lynne D. Kitei, a physician who later wrote a book about the event, described standing on her balcony and watching the lights glide silently overhead. She felt a mix of awe and unease, convinced that no known aircraft could move so gracefully without a sound. Then-Governor Fife Symington, initially dismissive, later admitted to seeing the lights himself and called them “otherworldly.” His reversal added credibility to the story, though he stopped short of labeling it extraterrestrial.
Local news stations were flooded with calls, and the story quickly went national. UFO enthusiasts flocked to Arizona, while skeptics demanded more evidence. The National UFO Reporting Center received hundreds of reports, and the event even caught the attention of Hollywood, inspiring scenes in movies and TV shows. For a state already tied to extraterrestrial lore—thanks to Roswell’s proximity in New Mexico—the Phoenix Lights cemented Arizona’s place in UFO history.
Official Explanations and Lingering Doubts
In the days that followed, officials scrambled to address the public’s questions. The Air Force stuck to its flares explanation for the 10:00 p.m. lights, but offered no comment on the earlier V-shaped craft. Some suggested it could have been an experimental military aircraft, like a stealth blimp or high-altitude drone, though no records have surfaced to support this. Others proposed natural phenomena—perhaps a mirage caused by temperature inversions bending light in the desert air.
Yet these explanations didn’t satisfy everyone. Critics pointed out that flares don’t move in formation or travel hundreds of miles, and mirages don’t block out stars. The lack of a unified answer only deepened the intrigue, turning the Phoenix Lights into a symbol of government secrecy for some and a case study in mass hysteria for others.
A Legacy of Wonder
Today, the Phoenix Lights remain a polarizing topic. Annual gatherings in Arizona commemorate the event, drawing believers and skeptics alike. Documentaries and books continue to explore the mystery, while scientists and historians debate its significance. Was it a glimpse of advanced technology—human or otherwise—or simply a misunderstanding amplified by the excitement of the moment? Whatever the truth, that night in 1997 left an indelible mark on Phoenix, a reminder that sometimes the sky holds secrets we’re not yet ready to unravel.