WASHINGTON — An apparent UFO sighting over Capitol Hill has ignited a wave of public speculation and concern, amplified by the recent focus on government transparency concerning unidentified aerial phenomena.
According to the New York Post, Four bright lights hovering above the Capitol dome were captured in photographs and videos, leading to vigorous debate about their origin.
The initial sighting happened when Dennis Diggins, a seasoned U.S. Air Force veteran and licensed tour guide, snapped a photo of what appeared to be unidentified flying objects above the Statue of Freedom on the Capitol building. The image, showing a quartet of luminous spots in the sky, quickly circulated, capturing the interest of many.
Following the release of the photo, social media platforms erupted with reactions. One user exclaimed, “It is already happening,” connecting the sighting with extraterrestrial activity, while another simply posted, “This is insane!” highlighting the widespread astonishment.
A separate video also surfaced, displaying the lights altering their formation but consistently remaining visible over the legislative center of the United States. The combination of images and clips added fuel to the already kindled public curiosity and concern.
However, experts were quick to address the speculations. John Greenewald, Jr., a noted researcher in the field of UFOlogy, criticized the immediate jump to conclusions about extraterrestrial involvement. He attributed the mysterious lights to a common photographic error.
“[The lights at the US Capitol building have been causing ‘UFO sightings’ in the camera lens for decades & decades],” Greenewald explained on X, a social media platform. He elaborated, mentioning that the phenomenon encountered was simply lens flares, a type of light artifact that occurs in photography.
The timing of this sighting is particularly relevant because it occurred just a few weeks following a heated congressional hearing focused on alleged concealed UFO programs by the government. This hearing showcased witness testimonies on secret initiatives to catalog non-human communications and governmental efforts to withhold information from the public.
This connection between the recent hearing and the sighting caused a surge in speculative theories online, despite the Pentagon’s March report which concluded there was no evidence pointing to the existence of extraterrestrial spacecraft.
The dichotomy between public reaction and expert analysis illustrates a significant divide in belief and understanding concerning UFO phenomena. While the spectacular nature of such sightings captures public interest, it also spawns a myriad of unverified claims and theories.
Greenewald further criticized the sensationalism linked with new captures of this long-reported lens flare effect, “[Just lens flares, but interesting someone is passing them around, again, and more so interesting people are buying it. New photo, same lens flare ‘phenomenon’],” he added, emphasizing the repetitive nature of such misunderstandings.
The widespread influence of such incidents highlights the powerful role social media and public platforms play in the dissemination of information and misinformation alike. It also underscores the importance of expert analysis in demystifying events that are initially perceived as paranormal.
As the narrative of the Capitol Hill UFO sighting unfolds, it serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in interpreting unusual aerial phenomena and the persistent public fascination with UFOs. While the lights over the Capitol may have been demystified, they fueled a conversation that remains highly alive in the public domain, bridging past incidents with contemporary debates.
