Strange lights over Cyprus: what are people seeing?

From a 1985 sighting off Chlorakas to reports involving Starlink and military activity, specialists say most unusual sightings over Cyprus have ordinary explanationsMost things people see in the skies above Cyprus have perfectly ordinary explanations. Every night, satellites pass overhead, meteors streak across the night sky, and aircraft fly back and forth over one of the busiest regions in the world. Yet from time to time, something catches someone’s attention that they can’t immediately explain. For decades, those moments have given rise to reports of unusual aerial phenomena across the island. One of the most well-known cases occurred in September 1985, when fishermen off the coast of Chlorakas reported seeing a bright white glow on the horizon that gradually expanded into a rainbow like arc. According to Dr Georgios Florides co-founder of the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) Cyprus Centre, the phenomenon lasted around 35 minutes and coincided with a power cut in nearby Kissonerga. At around the same time, commercial pilots flying between Cyprus and the Aegean also reported an unusual luminous object. The incident was covered by local press and attracted the attention of aviation authorities, but no definitive explanation was established. Nearly four decades later, reports of unexplained aerial phenomena continue to capture public attention. International interest has grown following US government disclosures and a renewed willingness among scientists to discuss the subject openly. But behind the headlines there’s a more intriguing question. What do those who dedicate their lives to studying the skies over Cyprus really think about the island’s reports of unexplained phenomena? What people are seeing in Cyprus skies For Chief Operating Officer of the Troodos Observatory Agapios Elia reports of unusual lights are a familiar part of the job. “This happens very frequently,” he says. “Often people write or call in to report strange sightings or they mention things they have seen at one time or another during our public sessions. Nowadays a lot of people just post online about unusual lights they see and they are frequently directed to us for clarifications”. More often than not, those sightings have ordinary explanations. Many recent reports have involved SpaceX’s Starlink satellites or military activity in the Middle East, Elia says. Other common explanations include missile plume cones, high altitude aircraft reflecting the setting sun, unusual cloud formations and meteors. “I have to say no,” he says when asked if he’s ever found a phenomenon that ultimately defied explanation. “Any strange looking phenomenon ultimately turns out to be one of two things: man-made and nature-made.” This is not to say that people are imagining what they see. Instead, Elia says, many unusual sightings come down to perspective. “From a practical standpoint, the biggest misconception is a lack of understanding regarding scale and distance,” he says. “People often struggle to judge how large, how fast, or how far away a light in the dark sky truly is.” How UAP reports are investigated But explaining what people see is only part of the story. Just as important is what happens after someone reports an unexplained sighting. For Florides, every report begins the same way: with an investigation. Established in 2022, the centre investigates unexplained aerial phenomena in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean from a scientific perspective. When a report is received, investigators visit the location where possible, interview the witnesses, measure distances and viewing angles, analyse photographs and compare the location and time of the sighting with flight paths, satellite movements and astronomical data. The centre receives numerous reports each year, but Florides says all those investigated so far have had conventional explanations. “Most submissions consist of either a photograph of a distant, undefined speck of light or a written account describing such a light,” he says. In some instances where higher quality images or more detailed observations were available, they ultimately ended up being Venus, military drones, distant aircraft, Starlink satellites or meteors. For Florides, the biggest misconception isn’t witnessing something unusual; it’s the assumption that “unidentified” means “unexplainable”. “Based on the received reports and the work the centre is doing, we believe the single biggest misconception people have about UAP is that any unidentified light in the sky is inherently extraordinary or ‘otherworldly’,” he says. “In reality, the vast majority of reports have mundane explanations”. Why scientists are still interested Nonetheless, conventional explanations doesn’t mean that the subject lacks scientific value. For president of the Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO) George A Danos, unexplained aerial phenomena are worth investigating precisely because science is driven by curiosity and evidence. Cyprus’ location may also make it particularly interesting for UAP reporting. Danos points to UAP reporting maps published by the US Department of Defense’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), which show concentrations of reports in the broader Middle East and eastern Mediterranean region. “Science ultimately requires empirical evidence to reach results,” he says. “Right now, that conclusive evidence regarding UAPs as non-human technology isn’t yet readily available or conclusive, but the scientific community is now establishing the rigorous, objective frameworks necessary to properly investigate these anomalies.” Danos believes that, regardless of where the evidence ultimately leads, asking questions is fundamental to scientific progress. “Scientists constantly seek to expand the frontiers of knowledge,” he says. “If there are objects in our skies performing maneuvers we don’t understand, we need to investigate and learn rather than being afraid to study the data due to the professional stigma that historically surrounded the topic.” For Danos, curiosity remains one of science’s greatest strengths. “The cosmos is limited only by our capacity to wonder.” Find out more Troodos Observatory: https://www.troodosobservatory.com/, UAP Cyprus Centre: https://www.uapcy.org/, Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO): https://www.spaceexploration.org.cy/#!/Home, All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO): https://www.aaro.mil/