The UFO reporting centre CENAP located in western Germany this year recorded more sightings by puzzled citizens than ever before, its director said on Monday.
The Central Research Network for Extraordinary Sky Phenomena is a point of contact for members of the public seeking a scientific explanation for their spotting of a UFO – the abbreviation for “unidentified flying object.”
According to its experts, most of these were planets or stars, rather than anything connected to extra-terrestrial civilizations.
CENAP, based in Lützelbach south of Frankfurt, recorded 1,348 UFO sightings last year from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, as well as a few from other countries, according to its director Hansjürgen Köhler.
Since 2019, reports have risen steadily every year. But even last year, there were no alien spaceships among them, Köhler said.
Sightings have many causes
According to him, bright planets such as Venus, Jupiter and the star Sirius continue to confuse many sky watchers.
In addition, meteors surprised many early risers and casual observers when they burned up with a conspicuous glow.
More than 120 sightings of tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communication systems were reported, including by pilots who were surprised during night flights, according to Köhler.
Other reports were attributed to rocket stage re-starts, when spent fuel is illuminated by the sun and creates bizarre luminous phenomena in the night sky.
In addition, satellites and rocket parts regularly burn up spectacularly in the atmosphere as space debris.
Reports that can be identified as drone flights have been increasing for five years, Köhler said. As well as small private drones, larger industrial drones and police drones are also in use.