A ‘strange light bouncing up and down in the sky’: The history of UFO sightings in Alaska

📍 Location

📝 Description

This JSON summarizes the latest publicly available information on the Alaska UFO history referenced by the Anchorage Daily News article titled 'A ‘strange light bouncing up and down in the sky’: The history of UFO sightings in Alaska' by David Reamer (published August 28, 2022). The piece recounts several historical incidents: (1) a July 9, 1947 sighting by three Anchorage teenagers (Judy Kerr, Vicky Novack, Nancy Green) of a white disc-shaped object above Elmendorf Air Force Base; (2) a 1952 Anchorage sighting described as a 'strange light bouncing up and down in the sky' reported by two men; and (3) a 1953 sighting near Eklutna where six women observed a flying saucer for about two hours. The article provides context on how Alaska’s UFO lore developed in the postwar era, including contemporaneous local newspaper coverage and cultural references (e.g., the 1950 film The Flying Saucer). As of December 2025, there do not appear to be widely publicized new investigations or updates specifically linked to this exact composite history beyond the 2022 piece.

🔍 Circumstances

Historical Alaska UFO narrative drawn from multiple sightings across distinct years: 1947 Anchorage sighting by three teenage girls; 1952 Anchorage sighting involving two male witnesses; 1953 Eklutna sighting involving six women watching a saucer for two hours. The article situates these events within the broader national UFO craze of the era and cites local newspapers and other contemporary sources. No single, ongoing investigation is described; rather, the piece compiles reported accounts and public reaction from the era.

👤 Physical Description

1947 event: described as a white, disc-shaped object moving rapidly; smaller than a fighter plane, not a weather balloon. 1952 event: described as a 'strange light' bouncing up and down in the sky with no body visible; 1953 event: six women observed a flying saucer moving back and forth over Eklutna for about two hours. Overall, reports mix disc-shaped objects with bright lights and prolonged light phenomena.

ℹ️ Additional Details

The ADN piece places Alaska within the early postwar UFO narrative and notes the role of local media and cultural artifacts (e.g., references to 'Flying Saucer' film). It emphasizes that Alaska had few early reports but quickly became part of the broader UFO discourse; the article uses local newspaper reports and other sources to illustrate the timeline.

🔗 Sources (2)

👥 Community Contributions

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