Lights over Liverpool

Date: 08/03/2025

Time: 21:20

Location: Liverpool (L15)

Written AccountLast night I went to bring in the towels, looked up to see if I could see any stars or planets (even in the inner city, I do see some things) and saw UFOs just above the clouds darting back and forth. They were round disks of light.

Object(s) Details

Number of Objects: Approximately 5

Appearance: White light, dim compared to the moon but brighter than the sun.

Movement: The objects moved erratically, bouncing around with no clear direction.

No sound was heard from the objects.

Duration of Observation: The witness observed the objects for several minutes before returning indoors. The lights were still visible when the witness entered their home.

Weather Data (from Weather25.com)

Temperature: 9.1°C

Conditions: Dry, 79% cloud cover, 10km visibility.

Geographic Context

The witness was facing towards Toxteth and Liverpool city centre, approximately 2 miles from the Royal Albert Dock.

Nearby landmarks

Anfield Football Stadium (3 miles north)

Bramley Moore Dock Stadium (4 miles north)

Liverpool Tennis Centre (0.4 miles)

Wavertree Cricket Ground (0.8 miles)

Liverpool John Lennon Airport (6 miles south)

Night Sky Analysis (via Stellarium)

The moon and Mars were visible but partly obscured by cloud cover.

Starlink satellites were visible at this time, moving from northwest to southwest and often mistaken for UFOs when launched in large numbers. These satellites are often visible as lines of lights moving across the sky and may account for sightings of several objects moving together. BUFORA has received many reports of such sightings since Starlink's launch in 2019.

Astronomical Objects

Based on the sighting description, the movement and characteristics of the objects do not match known astronomical IFOs (Identified Flying Objects).

Relevant Events on 08/03/2025

Football Match: Liverpool v Southampton (Anfield Stadium, 3:00 PM) Liverpool won the match.

Glitterbox House Music Event: Held at Blackstone Street Warehouse, known for large-scale light shows.

Royal Albert Dock: Preparations for a light show set to launch on 20/03/2025.

Conclusion

The description of the objects, their erratic movement, and the time of the sighting suggest that the most likely explanation involves high-powered spotlights or a laser show reflecting off the clouds. In urban environments like Liverpool it can be challenging to pinpoint the direction of light sources due to the presence of various light sources, including reflections and refractions from nearby buildings.

Glitterbox Event: The Blackstone Street Warehouse a 10,000-capacity venue located only a few miles from the witness, hosted a major house music event that is known for its impressive lighting systems. The venue has large sky-facing windows, allowing for possible light pollution to affect the surrounding area. Light refraction or ‘bending of light’ can occur as it travels through different substances (such as glass) making it challenging to determine the exact direction from which the light originates. An image of the Blackstone Warehouse interior shows the sky-facing windows.

Nearby Sports Events: Anfield Stadium, home to Liverpool FC, was hosting a large event earlier in the day. Although the football match had ended by the time of the sighting, stadium lighting would still have been in use. The stadium’s floodlights are extremely powerful, and their beams can extend several miles. Furthermore, the presence of nearby venues like the Royal Albert Dock and other sports grounds would have contributed to multiple sources of light in the area.

Given the witness's location in an urban environment, it is plausible that this was a case of light pollution.

James Bowen

BUFORA AI