A distant light provides fewer clues than we instinctively expect. Its brightness may be obvious while its size, distance and speed remain unknown. A useful identification starts by reconstructing the view, then testing possibilities against the details rather than choosing an explanation from a single resemblance.
First reconstruct the view
Write down where you stood, the date, time and UTC offset, and the direction you faced. Mark the object against a building, hill or recognisable star pattern. Note whether you were stationary or moving, whether you looked through a window, and how long you watched. Keep estimates labelled as estimates.
For a sky reconstruction, set the location and observation time explicitly in a planetarium app. Check the time zone and daylight-saving setting rather than assuming the default is right. Stellarium’s guide explains its location and date/time controls. A screenshot showing those settings is a useful companion to your notes. Stellarium user guide.
Bright planets and stars
NASA’s Night Sky Network identifies Venus, Jupiter and bright stars among common sources of puzzled reports. Check whether a candidate was in the recorded direction at that time. A match needs the position and behaviour to agree; “Venus was visible that evening” is not enough if it was in the opposite part of the sky. NASA’s identification overview.
Describe movement against a fixed feature. If the view was handheld or recorded from a moving vehicle, distinguish movement in the scene from movement of the camera. When an apparent change only appears in a zoomed clip, return to the original wide view before drawing conclusions.
Satellites and brief flashes
NASA explains that satellites are often easiest to see around dawn or dusk, when sunlight can reach them above a darker observer. Some brighten briefly or fade as they enter Earth’s shadow. They do not normally show the regular beacon pattern of aircraft. A light fading out is therefore worth recording carefully, but does not by itself establish extraordinary motion. NASA skywatching guide.
Check a candidate pass against the actual date, time, location, direction and track. Keep the prediction or record used, including when you consulted it. A missing match in a single service is not proof that no satellite was present; record the limits of the check as well as its result.
Aircraft and other local activity
Note repeated flashes, changes in apparent direction, sound and any visible outline. Preserve the timing rather than remembering only the brightest moment. Where public flight information is available, compare a candidate’s track with your viewing direction and observation period. Public tracking coverage is incomplete, so an empty screen should be treated as an incomplete check.
Consider nearby activity too: a drone flight, a lit structure, an event light or a reflection may be relevant. Ask a neutral question rather than supplying an expected answer. Record who provided the information and whether they directly observed the activity or were suggesting a possibility.
Meteors and short-lived events
For a sudden streak or fireball, make a sketch promptly and note its path, duration, colour, fragmentation and any lingering trail. Keep what you saw separate from a later sound. The International Meteor Organization provides guidance for visual observers and a dedicated fireball reporting route. Its observing guidance also describes using a voice recorder to retain observations while keeping your eyes on the sky. IMO visual observing guidance.
A very brief event is difficult to reconstruct from memory. Avoid filling gaps with detail seen in another person’s video. Independent notes remain valuable even when witnesses disagree about a colour or duration.
Was the feature in the sky or in the image?
Compare the direct visual account with the original recording. If the feature was only noticed later in a photograph, say so. Check whether it changes with camera angle, zoom or a bright light elsewhere in the frame. Keep uncropped frames and adjacent footage so those relationships can be examined. Do not use AI-generated detail as an identification aid.
Write a result that matches the evidence
- Identified: explain the specific match in time, position and behaviour, and link the supporting record.
- Possible explanation: say which details match and which are missing or inconsistent.
- Unresolved: retain the observations and checks without turning the lack of an answer into a claimed identity.
Finding an ordinary explanation can still produce an excellent observation record. Leaving a case open can also be the honest outcome. What matters is that another person can follow the reasoning and return to the same original material. For recording an encounter in the field, see our UFO spotting guide.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked 7 November 2026. This is an original UKPX practical guide; the illustrations are AI-generated artwork, not evidence photographs.
- NASA / Night Sky Network: Identifying UFOs and UAPs — a starting list of sky and photographic explanations.
- NASA skywatching — satellite visibility and general observing context.
- Stellarium user guide — location, time and sky reconstruction.
- International Meteor Organization: Visual Observations — recording and observing meteors.