Optical Illusions, flashing lights and more than enough hoax set-ups contribute to the craze of UFO sightings. That´s not to say that some sightings are genuine; but whether the aircraft is advanced technology made by man or extraterrestrials from another planet is another matter. But whatever the reason, here is a look at seven of the most common causes of UFO sightings.

Lightening Storms

It´s obvious that lightening itself cannot be mistaken for a UFO, but during thunderstorms, large-scale electrical discharges cause a natural weather phenomenon known as sprites. They occur above the clouds and appear in various flickering shapes with a luminous red-orange glow.

Missile Tests

Yes, really, missiles have been mistaken for a UFO. Or at least a failed missile test was considered to be extraterrestrial by some people, a portal into an alien dimension by others, and of cause a government conspiracy to effect weather patterns by others.

The event occurred in December 2009 when a spectacular spiraling lighting was seen in the night sky above Norway. Initially it appeared like a natural cosmic phenomenon, but days after the event the Russians admitted they had been conducting a missile test. The test failed as the missile exploded and fell to earth, rotating in a spiral fashion and creating the light show.

Weird Cloud Formations

Another natural weather phenomenon known as hole-punched clouds have also given rise to Youtube footage claiming it is a UFO. Meteorologists have explained however, that some clouds, in particularly the Cirrus cloud is composed of ice crystals and super-cooled droplets of water that, although is below freezing remains in liquid form.

The physical properties of these clouds are delicate and when they are disturbed by wind or a passing airliner, the droplets evaporate and leave a hole in the cloud. Grainy video footage obscures a clear view of the event and thus UFO claims are easy.

Balloons

Perhaps the most common cause of UFO sightings is balloons. We have the US government to thank for this one after the claimed the Roswell incident was a weather balloon, but today the majority of UFO hoaxes are in actual fact a balloon.

One of the most well documented balloon-driven UFO sightings occurred last year in New York when hundreds of people witnessed a shiny cluster of silvery lights hovering over the Chelsea district of Manhattan.

Numerous claims were made by people saying they had seen an extraterrestrial aircraft, whilst others said there were dozens of them flying in formation. The helium balloons were released from an engagement party at 1pm and the first UFO report was logged at 1.30pm.

Venus

It´s not always possible to see Venus with the naked eye in the night sky, but when it is close enough to see, it appears as a bright light that hangs in the sunset sky. Anybody who doesn´t realise it is a planet thinks it´s a UFO.

Because Venus orbits the sun in the same orbit as our own, it changes it´s perspective and appears at the other side of the sun. It is this re-appearance that has confused people into believing the planet is a moving UFO.

Venus changes its position in the darkening sky as the year progresses thus is seen in different parts of the planet at different times of the year. In fact, the Maya calculated it takes eight years for it to rotate back to it starting position when first seen.

Airplanes

Airplanes are another common cause of UFO sightings, both incidentally and by scheming hoaxes. Most of the scam footage is shot at night so that a light is seen crossing the pitch black sky, then possibly flying beyond a mountain, hill or trees before re-emerging on the other side.

But on one occasion, believe it or not, the lingering contrails of a passenger jet over the coast of California was filmed and reported as mysterious. The uproar escalated so far that NORAD, USNORTHCOM and the DOD had to investigate the incident and issue statements that no unusual activity had been detected and that missile tests had not been launched that morning. It turned out to be the contrail of a plane that had most likely passed moments before the amateur Spielberg began recording his own version of Close Encounters.

Military Experiments

Since the 1940´s, New Mexico is the south-west of the United States has been a haven for UFO sightings and tales of alien abductions. That may have something to do with the US Air Force base, or it may not. The best example is the now famous Roswell incident.

In 1947, an experiment codenamed Project Mogul is said to be the cause of a public outrage that has lasted for more than 60 years now. The US Air Force claim they had launched balloons attached with microphones and hoisted then to high-altitudes in order to pick up sound waves generated by Soviet bomb tests.

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