1997: 2 Flying Cigars in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

THINK ABOUTIT UFO SIGHTINGS REPORT

Date:  1997

Sighting Time:  01:00 AM

Day/Night:  Nighttime

Location:  Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Urban or Rural:  Air – The Riyadh region, which is a large and urban residential area that has an air base and is not far from the Rawda neighborhood in which I live

Entity Type:  

Entity Description:  

Hynek Classification:  NL (Nocturnal Light) Point or extended luminous source observed at night.

Duration:  about three minutes

No. of Object(s):  2

Appearance / Description of the Object(s):  There were two cigar-like flying objects shining entirely in white like neon lights and they were on top of each other so that the lower cigar was slightly ahead of the upper cigar and there were no traces of smoke and there were no wings or tails

Distance to Object(s):  I think those things were at the edge of Earth’s atmosphere

Shape of Object(s):  cigars

Size of Object(s):  

Color of Object(s):  shining entirely in white like neon lights

Number of Witnesses:  2

Special Features/Characteristics:  

Source: Reported To Think AboutIt

Summary/Description:My name is ////// Al-////er. I was 21 years old at the time. I was studying at the Technical Institute of Electronics. I am an astronomy enthusiast, so I used to go out to the desert areas to observe the sky during the holidays, but during the school days I went up to the roof of the house for observations. One day in 1997, I don’t remember him exactly. At about the hour Eight o’clock in the evening I was observing the moon with an 8-inch meade telescope, My sister went up and asked to look at the moon with the help of the telescope, and when she looked at it, she was fascinated, and she was describing its surface to me.Then suddenly I stopped talking and assumed that the moon had moved away from the telescope’s field due to the rotation of the earth,Suddenly she said to me, come and look at the satellites, and when I looked through the telescope, I saw two bright cylinders on top of each other, slowly moving towards the east, and the lower was slightly ahead of the upper.So I turned away from the telescope and looked straight at the sky but I didn’t see anything and when I looked again through the telescope I saw the cylindrical things moving slowly until they moved away ,They were two bright cylinders that were all white and my sister and I still remember that day

Technical Analysis: Meade 8-Inch Optical Observation

The use of an 8-inch Meade telescope significantly elevates this report from a standard visual sighting to a high-quality astronomical observation. An aperture of 8 inches provides enough light-gathering power to resolve significant detail at high altitudes, making the witness’s description of “neon-white” cylinders particularly noteworthy.

Atmospheric Depth and Clarity

The witness estimated the objects were at the edge of Earth’s atmosphere. At this altitude, objects are often illuminated by the sun even after it has set for observers on the ground, a phenomenon common in Nocturnal Light (NL) cases. However, the description of the light as “white like neon” and the lack of any wings, tails, or engine exhaust suggests a craft that does not rely on conventional propulsion or aerodynamic lift.

Cylinder Configuration

The observation of two bright cylinders stacked vertically, with the lower craft slightly ahead of the upper one, indicates a synchronized flight pattern. This “flying cigar” or cylindrical shape is a well-documented phenotype in Asian Sightings, often associated with high-altitude transit. The fact that the witness could not see the objects with the naked eye after viewing them through the telescope suggests they were either extremely distant or possessed a surface luminance that blended into the atmospheric haze until magnified.

Historical Context: UFO Sightings in the Middle East (1990s)

The late 1990s marked a period of increased reporting for aerial phenomena across the Middle East. While many sightings in the region are often scrutinized due to high military activity and airbase proximity—as noted by the witness regarding the nearby Riyadh air base—cases involving high-powered optical equipment like a Meade telescope are rare and highly valued.

Regional Patterns

During this decade, several notable reports surfaced from neighboring countries, often describing similar Nocturnal Lights (NL) or Cigar-shaped objects. The Riyadh incident fits a broader regional pattern where objects are seen transiting at extreme altitudes, appearing as silent, luminous craft that defy standard aviation behavior.

The Astronomical Advantage

The significance of this 1997 report lies in its astronomical nature. Because the observer was an enthusiast studying the moon, the technical details provided—such as the vertical stacking of the cylinders—carry more weight than a casual naked-eye observation. This helps researchers distinguish between misidentified satellites or flares and true unidentified flying objects.

Witness Summary: A Night of Scientific Curiosity

The witness, an electronics student and dedicated astronomy enthusiast, was engaged in a routine moon observation when this event unfolded. This background is critical because it suggests an observer familiar with the standard behavior of celestial bodies and man-made satellites. The transition from admiring the lunar surface to tracking unidentified cylinders represents a shift from a known scientific hobby to an encounter with the unknown.

Collaborative Verification

A key detail in this report is the presence of a second witness—the observer’s sister. Her initial excitement and subsequent observation through the telescope provide vital corroboration. Having two witnesses observe the same vertical “stacked” configuration of the cylinders through an 8-inch lens significantly reduces the likelihood of an optical illusion or a personal misinterpretation of atmospheric phenomena.

Conclusion: The Silent Transit

As the objects moved slowly toward the East, they left no physical trace—no sound, no exhaust, and no wings. This silent transit at the edge of the atmosphere remains a hallmark of high-altitude UFO sightings. By documenting this 1997 encounter, we add another piece to the puzzle of aerial anomalies in the Middle East, preserving a moment where scientific observation met the truly unidentified.

The 1997 Riyadh sighting stands as a remarkable case due to the technical precision afforded by the witness’s use of an 8-inch Meade telescope. The observation of two neon-white, cylindrical objects moving in a synchronized vertical “stacked” formation—while remaining completely invisible to the naked eye—suggests a craft operating with advanced propulsion and at an altitude near the edge of Earth’s atmosphere.

This report is further strengthened by the corroboration of a second witness, lending significant weight to the details of the objects’ silent, wingless transit. By documenting this event, we add a crucial data point to the history of Middle Eastern aerial anomalies, highlighting a moment where the curiosity of an amateur astronomer captured evidence of the truly unidentified.