By Veronica Appia
Flashing lights, flying spheres and orange triangles are some of the descriptions of UFO sightings reported by Halton residents in 2017.
According to the Canadian UFO report released July 8, there was a total of 1,101 reported sightings of unidentified flying objects, with seven being reported in Halton Region.
The report was conducted by Manitoba firm Ufology Research, which compiled data from online UFO organizations, government files, direct witness reports, media and other internet postings.
Here are the sighting descriptions from reports in Halton Region:
Halton Hills
1) When: Sept. 15, 2017
Colour: Red
Description: Disc-shaped. Stationary light became thin with bulge going east to west
Burlington
1) When: April 21, 2017 at 11:22 p.m.
Colour: Red
Description: Two lights moving southeast slowly side by side
2) When: April 21, 2017 at 11:26 p.m.
Colour: Red
Description: Two spheres flying together going south over lake
3) When: Sept. 7, 2017 at 5:09 a.m.
Description: Video shows "Tinker Bell finally captured"
Oakville
1) When: April 26, 2017 at 9:30 p.m.
Description: Stationary object with flashing lights seen through telescope
2) When: Oct. 20, 2017 at 8:20 p.m.
Colour: Orange
Description: Triangular-shaped. Two objects going east, low altitude, changed directions, went behind trees
3) When: Dec. 1, 2017 at 5:45 p.m.
Description: V-shaped object moving steadily
There were no reports submitted from Milton.
Of all the reports filed across Canada, researchers concluded that six per cent could be explained, 38 per cent were probable, 48 per cent had insufficient evidence and eight per cent could not be explained.
The Burlington sighting from Sept. 7 was captured on video and an investigation was conducted by the Mutual UFO Network, which determined that this particular object could be identified and was likely a bat or some other nocturnal animal.
York University physics and astronomy Prof. Marshall McCall says just because eight per cent of the reports haven’t been explained, it doesn’t mean they are unexplainable.
McCall says there are numerous rare phenomena, citing ball lightning as an example. Ball lightning is a spherical atmospheric phenomenon that is correlated with the electrification of soil after a lightning strike.
"This is extremely rare, in fact, even scientists have been studying this for decades without understanding what it is," McCall said, adding that it can be easily mistaken for a UFO.
"I am personally a skeptic of the existence of UFOs in the context of being visitors from another planet, primarily from the standpoint of if there were extraterrestrials out there and they were advanced enough to visit us, why would they not introduce themselves? Why hide? Why not show yourself from time to time," he laughed.
He added, however, that he does believe that the UFO sighting reports are credible, even if they are difficult to explain.
"The eight per cent that are unexplained may remain unexplained forever, because there is no way to get data on them — they’ve already happened — and the only data you have is what somebody has communicated verbally," he said. "There is the odd picture out there of what is supposedly a UFO, but you’d have to examine the circumstances under which these pictures were taken to be able to understand more about them.
"I certainly think there are credible reports of strange phenomena and maybe an explanation exists within our current understanding and maybe not."
For further information about the report, visit http://survey.canadianuforeport.com/.
