Flashing Phoenix Lights A Mystery

PHOENIX -- A large, fleeting flash of light that appeared in the darkened skies over the northwestern edge of metropolitan Phoenix remains a mystery.

The ball of light that looked like an explosion was captured by a traffic camera on Interstate 17 around 4:45 a.m. Thursday and happened to be broadcast by KSAZ-TV when the station showed footage of the roadway during a report on the morning's commute.

The two electric utilities that serve metro Phoenix say they didn't have any reports of electric transformer explosions that might explain the flash.

Damon Gross, a spokesman for Arizona Public Service, says a blown fuse on a transformer can produce a flash, but he said the utility had no such report Thursday morning.

"It's a mystery to us as well. I can't even offer a guess," said Doug Nintzel, a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Charlotte Dewey, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Phoenix, says there was no weather activity that might explain the flash.

Messages left for officials at nearby Luke Air Force Base weren't immediately returned Friday afternoon.

KSAZ is asking viewers to come forward if they have any information about the mysterious flash.

In 1997, dozens of people saw lights in a V-formation over Phoenix, a mystery that was captured on videotape and spurred calls for a government investigation.

Comments

[CarlIII]

02:21 PM on 04/14/2012

The mystery has been solved. It was a main line breaker on a power line that caused the flash and a short power outage. If you look at how distorted the car lights are in that photo you can see why it looked much larger than it was. Also the article mentioned the "Mysterious V formation lights" in 1997 that stirred a huge UFO controversy. That ended up being an aviation club flying in formation at night. Now don't you UFO nerds feel a little stupid?

[special38x2]

10:48 PM on 04/26/2012

LOL.. :)

[wearenotalone]

01:41 AM on 05/04/2012

If you believe the V formation cover story then you've been living in Alabama too long.

[rough neck]

07:07 PM on 03/30/2012

dam you people stupid, thats just the star ship enterprise hitting warp

[cosmicgroove]

04:15 PM on 03/30/2012

Someone opened the door to their indoor garden.

[special38x2]

10:48 PM on 04/26/2012

OMG...Saving GRACE! Excellent movie...

[Dave Harpe]

09:32 PM on 03/13/2012

On June 9, 2004, I was walking out in front of my home just south of Sacramento, and I saw a brilliant massive flash which made everything bright blue, whether it was close by or across the street. There was no noise, just the flash. I could not tell what direction it came from. I looked around to see what might have caused it, and did not see any sparks on the power lines or transformers visible from where I was standing. I thought someone might have taken a photo for some reason, so, to test that idea, I went in and got my camera, and fired the flash a few times in random directions. The flash from the camera was puny by comparison. I never found out what caused that. Weird. I am able to pin down the exact date because it was a digital camera and I saved the photos.

[Ralph Gale Monk]

08:19 PM on 03/13/2012

Dear HuffPost: Maybe there's a couple of links attached to the story? Some of my friends wished me a happy birthday so I said that it sometimes comes in small pkgs..Please view my facebook page & wall of my photos and I explain in every detail of what it might mean like the Solar flash from our sun a few days before and a UFO named floyd that they made a movie about called:Close Encounters of the Third Kind where I had most likely been out there that same evening with no recollection with my profile pic from Halloween 1976 in the theater section of the Akron Beacon Journal..with WMMS home of the Buzzard before it went digital was 101 FM home of the buzzard. the same night that I was selling tickets to 3 Elvis movies @ the Gala Drive-in theater Floyd was entertaining two Deputy Sherriffs from Portage County into a 100 mile chase at about the same amount of speed where it began on route 224. Nothing I made up it was just the way it had been acted out and the solar Sunlight from our SUN. Ralph Gale Monk facebook page Wall of photos which many have a part in this story I had labeled them so not to confuse my own birthday was March 9th, 2012 I am 62 as of then my timing was: 5:45 PM. I guarantee you that it had been documented without any help from me.

[CarlIII]

12:37 PM on 05/02/2012

What total BS.

[Mercgal]

07:35 AM on 03/13/2012

Weird. I moved from PHX 4 years ago....still miss the warmth....but maybe its good I moved LOL. Could it have just been someone in the desert blowing something up?

[classicfinisher]

12:57 AM on 03/13/2012

That is just the newest wind resistant crack lighter. Your rock a little wet ? "No Problem" The lighter works so well, it comes with a money back guarantee.The warranty does not cover facial hair, cloths and/or damage to vehicles, homes or surrounding property.

[mashmallow]

12:26 AM on 03/13/2012

This mystery has been solved! The flash was caused by an electrical breaker.
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/offbeat/flash-of-light-mystery-solved-3-12-2012

[John Paul From Austin Tx]

12:26 AM on 03/13/2012

the v formation over phoenix in 97 were proven to be an illusion so why bring it back up in a article like it's still a mystery.

[The Dude67]

08:39 AM on 03/14/2012

citation please.

[Yepperday]

10:55 AM on 03/16/2012

It most certainly has NOT been proven to have been an illusion. Do some research.

[ryanl23]

12:21 AM on 03/13/2012

It was nothing. Now, have you seen John Connor?

[texasphd]

11:43 PM on 03/12/2012

Intergalactic illegal aliens?

[greenstardust]

10:59 PM on 03/12/2012

Look at how over-exposed the car headlights are. This indicates that the flash was also over-exposed, and the event that caused it is probably not nearly as big as it seems.

[Professor Wagstaff]

10:04 PM on 03/12/2012

I wonder how many people saw word "flash" and the photo of the traffic lady and clicked on this page hoping this was about a wardrobe malfunction?

[robdav265]

09:17 PM on 03/12/2012

It was me, I was lighting my farts

[special38x2]

10:51 PM on 04/26/2012

EEEEWWWWW....

[HIPITNIX]

09:01 PM on 03/12/2012

I AM THE LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

[Dalek Exterminate]

09:03 PM on 03/12/2012

..... now let's all pitch in to pay my electric bills, OK??