1561-04-14
Nuremberg mass sighting
Nuremberg - Germany
Described as a battle in the sky lasting about 1 hour, which ended with a large crash with smoke outside the city (as depicted), and consequently not a simple atmospheric phenomenon ("sun dog" or parhelion). A News notice (an early form of newspaper) and engraving published in Nuremberg described the event, which is kept in the Wickiana collection
1883-08-12
José Bonilla Observation
Mexico
On August 12, 1883, the astronomer José Bonilla reported that he saw more than 300 dark, unidentified objects crossing the sun disk while observing sunspot activity at Zacatecas Observatory in Mexico. He was able to take several photographs, exposing wet plates at 1/100 second. It was subsequently determined that the objects were highflying geese.
1886-10-24
Maracaibo Incidence
Maracaibo
Venezuela
In a letter printed in the December 18, 1886 issue of Scientific American, page 389, the US consul of Venezuela in Maracaibo reported a UFO sighting. A bright object, accompanied with a humming noise, appeared during thunderstorm over a hut near Maracaibo, causing its occupants to display symptoms similar to radiation poisoning. Nine days later the trees surrounding the hut withered and died.
1897-04-17
Aurora Texas UFO Incident
Aurora, Texas
United States
There were reports of an alleged UFO crash and a burial of its alien pilot in the local cemetery.
1908-06-30
Tunguska event
Podkamennaya Tunguska River
Russian Empire
A massive explosion, conjectured to be from a comet or meteoroid. UFO conspiracy theorists however class it as an exploding UFO.
1917-08-13, 09-13, 10-13
The Miracle of the Sun
Fatima
Portugal
Thousands of people observed the sun gyrate and descend. This was later reinterpreted by Jacques Vallée, Joaquim Fernandes and Fina d'Armada as a possible UFO sighting, but not recognized as such due to cultural differences
