I suppose that most of you have heard of the so-called "Phoenix lights", which
refers to a huge number of sightings of UFO-type lights and strange flying wedge-
shaped objects in the evening and night skies over Arizona, particularly in Phoenix,
on March 13, 1997. I was in Phoenix that evening but I didn't venture outside to see
it happen in real time. So, I learned about it later, as did most of the rest of America.
However, the UFO I saw happened about twenty years earlier, though it too was in
Phoenix. As best as I can place its year, it was 1977, though it could have been a year
earlier or later. At the time, I lived on 18th Street and Pasadena, though, in 1986, that
entire neighborhood west of 18th street was destroyed to put in the Squaw Peak Parkway.
Pasadena Avenue was about a half-block north of Camelback Road. My recollection is
that at the time of the sighting, it was well after dark, probably between 8 and 9 pm.
Just before the sighting, I was on my way on foot to perform some chore, like going to
a local store to buy something. When I reached the intersection of Pasadena and 18th
Street, I happened to look up to my left (which was to the northeast from where I stood)
and saw an amazing sight. It appeared to be a gigantic sphere of diameter between 30
to 40 yards and about 150-200 yards in the air. It was about 100 yards to the east of 18th
Street and roughly 150-200 yards north of me. The object appeared to be leisurely moving
westward at a speed between 5 to 8 miles per hour. It was quite visible from the reflection
of the city lights off of it. Also, it quite noticeably blocked out the stars "behind it." It
emitted no light or sound of its own that I could detect. Very strange.
I immediately tried to identify the object, but I couldn't. I asked myself if this sphere
was of earthly technology or of something else. But it displayed no characteristics
commonly associated with 'alien' technology, so I ruled that out. And, even though I
concluded that the flying object was most likely terran, I couldn't imagine what purpose
it would have been constructed for. To this day, I still can't.
So, besides its shape, what did the object look like? Its patina was completely unshiny,
perhaps indicating a rough surface. Add to that that its color was very dark, maybe dark
brown, so it had a certain 'stealthiness' to it for flying at night. (But why would anyone
construct such a sphere as that?) I had the impression that the object had a sturdy frame,
as its surface did not appear to undulate in any way. I also had the impression that the
object was somewhat massive, as it did not seem to change its course due to random
breezes. It just seemed to be fixed on its steady, smooth westward course. Well, that
aeronautical spherical interloper into my neighborhood's airspace was perhaps in no hurry
to get where it was going, but I was. So I shrugged off that "UFO" and continued on
my way.
Supposedly there was a report made of a huge, reddish, ball shaped UFO over or near
to the Skinwalker Ranch (made by a neighbor of the Meyers family, John Garcia.) See
for reference The Skinwalker Ranch on YouTube by Fire of Learning productions (47:25).
I don't remember whom I told about my UFO sighting at that time, if anyone. I also don't
remember any report of a UFO in the local news the next day. I suppose I just ignored the
incident as a weird hoax. So, why am I reporting it now? One reason is the Phoenix Lights
that occurred about twenty years later. I wonder now if they're perhaps connected in some
strange way. Another reason is the general increase in UFO sightings and of other forms
of paranormal sightings going on in the world. Lastly, of my own experiences of high
strangeness that have occurred to me in the last twenty years. Given the general increase
in UFO sightings over the years, I don't want to underrate the possible
significance of my
own mysterious UFO sighting.
I know what I saw, at least by appearances. I just don't know who built the thing and
what its purpose was. But I can add this remark: As a Christian, I don't believe in ETs.
And to the doctrine of there being no intelligent extraterrestrial life in the universe, I
am committed. But what you choose to believe about ETs is up to you.
Patrick