Trending On Twitter: UFO Sightings Over San Diego

Mysterious orange lights flashing and floating across San Diego's twilight sky caused a stir on social media, with Twitter users speculating that the lights were unidentified flying objects (UFOs).

What Happened: Twitter TWTR users shared videos of lights that floated in formations of two, three and four throughout the evening.

"UFO Sightings!” tweeted Jodi Kodesh, a San Diego-based meteorologist. “Are you seeing these strange orbs out over the ocean in San Diego? Viewers from several cities are seeing the mysterious floating objects, in varying formations."

Another Twitter user, @millenneodrome, tweeted: “I saw the UFO’s from a high vantage point (the intersection of Balboa Avenue and Clairemont Drive here in San Diego). They were huge, fast, and appeared to be giving off heat, kinda like sentient fireballs. I’ve never experienced anything like it. Very cool.”

Mindy Benner posted photos of the lights as they changed numerical formation, tweeting, “Is this some sort of Morse code? Why is no one else freaking out? Lol.”

See Also: 10 Landmark Moments In UFO History

Why It Happened: Fox 5 San Diego anchor Phil Blauer ensured San Diego residents that E.T. and his friends were not buzzing the California coastline.

“San Diego Police Watch Commander tells Fox5 it’s believed that mysterious lights in the skies tonight were from military flares,” he tweeted. “Not UFO’s or Drones. Still waiting for response from military officials.”

The Twitter account @Flippen7Blake also doubted the UFO theory, citing how the "strange lights" were likely from two NAVY aircraft, a C-130 and King Air.

But digital artist and writer Ayra Michelle was not interested in being tranquilized with such anodyne notions, tweeting, “Do military flares do this? Hover for hours, move upwards suddenly and without visible trails? Search ‘ufo San Diego’ and there’s a multitude of different angles / formation patterns and they’re seen strobing on and off …this is going to be an interesting one to explain.”

Photo of the unexplained lights over San Diego, courtesy of Mindy Benner's Twitter page

See Also: American Airlines Flight Encounters UFO Over New Mexico