CENAP, Germany's Central Research Network for Extraordinary Sky Phenomena, recorded a record 1,348 UFO reports last year from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Investigations show most cases were identifiable: bright planets and stars, meteors, Starlink satellites, rocket-stage re-ignitions and space debris. Drone sightings have also risen steadily over the past five years. The centre found no evidence of extraterrestrial spacecraft.
German UFO Centre Logs Record 1,348 Sightings — Most Have Mundane Explanations
Hansjuergen Koehler from the Central Research Network for Extraordinary Celestial Phenomena (CENAP) stands with his telescope in a meadow in the Odenwald. 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. Frank Rumpenhorst/dpa
CENAP, the Central Research Network for Extraordinary Sky Phenomena based in Lützelbach south of Frankfurt, reported a record number of UFO sightings this year, its director said on Monday.
Record Reports Across Central Europe
The centre logged 1,348 reports last year from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, plus a handful from other countries. Reports have risen steadily since 2019, driven in part by increased public interest and more widespread access to cameras and social media, CENAP director Hansjürgen Köhler said.
Most Sightings Have Ordinary Causes
After investigation, CENAP's experts concluded that the majority of sightings were not extraterrestrial. Common explanations include bright planets and stars, meteors and human-made objects re-entering or operating in orbit.
Typical Identified Causes
- Planets and Bright Stars: Venus, Jupiter and Sirius frequently confuse observers, especially near the horizon or when atmospheric conditions create scintillation.
- Meteors: Early-morning or late-night fireballs can burn with a conspicuous glow that startles casual viewers.
- Starlink Satellites: More than 120 reports involved Elon Musk's Starlink satellites, including accounts from airline pilots who noticed unexpected strings of lights during night flights.
- Rocket-Stage Re-Ignitions: Sunlit re-ignitions of spent rocket stages and vented fuel can produce unusual, glowing phenomena in the night sky.
- Space Debris: Satellites and discarded rocket parts often burn up spectacularly during re-entry.
- Drones: Sightings attributed to drone flights have increased for about five years; these include small recreational drones as well as larger industrial and police drones.
“Even with the increase in reports, we found no evidence of alien spacecraft,”
— Hansjürgen Köhler, CENAP director
CENAP serves as a scientific contact point for members of the public seeking explanations for unusual sky phenomena. The organisation continues to encourage people to report sightings and, when possible, to include photos, videos and precise times and locations to aid analysis.
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