• At least four commercial airline pilots witnessed colorful, fast-moving lights near Eugene, Oregon, described as red, circular, and erratic, with some reaching altitudes of 50,000 feet.
• Experts suggest the lights could be reflections off Starlink satellites, but pilots’ accounts of erratic movements and extreme speeds challenge this theory, leaving the origin unexplained.
• The sightings coincide with unexplained drone activity on the East Coast, adding to a broader pattern of unexplained aerial phenomena, with no definitive answers yet provided.

In a series of chilling encounters, at least four commercial airline pilots reported witnessing mysterious, colorful lights moving at “extreme speeds” across the skies above Oregon last weekend. The sightings, which took place near Eugene, have sparked widespread speculation and intrigue, with some experts suggesting the lights could be reflections off Starlink satellites, while others remain unconvinced.

The pilots’ accounts were detailed in a leaked 44-minute audio recording from Dec. 7, obtained by OregonLive. In the recording, a United Airlines pilot flying from Denver to Eugene can be heard asking air traffic control about potential military activity in the area. “Is there any military activity out straight ahead of us?” the pilot inquires. The controller responds that they have not seen anything but mentions receiving another report of an unidentified object at 30,000 feet in the same vicinity. “We’re not sure what it is,” she adds.

The pilots describe the lights as red, circular and erratic, moving in corkscrew patterns and changing direction at incredible speeds. One pilot reported the objects “shooting way up” to altitudes as high as 50,000 feet — far beyond the reach of commercial aircraft. Air traffic controllers advised pilots to “maneuver as necessary left and right to avoid the UFO out there.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that a pilot did report seeing “unidentified lights” during the flight, but the agency has not provided further details. The recording’s metadata and flight information align with flight records, lending credibility to the accounts.

While some experts, including scientist Douglas Buettner, believe the lights could be reflections off Starlink satellites, others are skeptical. Buettner, who led a study on similar sightings in 2022, explained that sunlight reflecting off the satellites can create bright flares that might resemble the pilots’ descriptions. “Literally all it is – it’s the sun hits the satellite just right, and it is being reflected back into your eye,” he said. However, he acknowledged the need for clearer video and additional data to rule out other possibilities.

Not everyone is convinced by the satellite theory. Joe Buley, a pilot with LifeFlight, told KGW that the lights he observed were unlike anything he had seen before. “The biggest thing that stood out was it was changing direction. Usually, things don’t change directions unless it’s an aircraft,” he said. Buley described the lights as “zipping towards us and back out towards the ocean, red in color, moving at extreme speeds.”

If there’s a plausible explanation, why hasn’t this been explained?

The sightings come amid a wave of mysterious drone activity along the East Coast, where residents in New Jersey and New York have reported unexplained drones hovering over their skies. The FBI is investigating these incidents, but so far, no concrete answers have been provided. Some have speculated that the drones could be linked to military testing or even foreign espionage, while others have entertained more outlandish theories, including extraterrestrial involvement.

The Oregon sightings add another layer to the growing mystery surrounding unexplained aerial phenomena. While the Starlink satellite explanation may seem plausible, the erratic movements and extreme speeds described by the pilots suggest there could be more to the story. As the world waits for answers, one thing is certain: the skies above Oregon—and the United States as a whole—have become a stage for intrigue and wonder, leaving both pilots and the public eager for clarity.

For now, the lights remain a mystery, their origins shrouded in uncertainty. Are they reflections of man-made satellites, test flights of secret military technology, or something far more extraordinary? Only time—and perhaps more sightings—will tell.

Sources include:

LegalInsurrection.com

NYPost.com

Newsweek.com