A mysterious light that was spotted in the sky above several districts of West Bengal, India, has been explained by officials.
The bright light was seen appearing and disappearing on Thursday (15 December), with local residents flocking to social media to show footage and photos. You can see one clip here:
The unusual light sparked speculation that it could be a UFO or alien activity, with one local posting on Twitter: "Doesn't it look like a UFO. The light has vanished."
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It sure does, and others thought it could be a comet but due to the light disappearing so quickly, that seemed unlikely.
In another post on Twitter, one resident said: "People are scared of what is this. We didn't listen to any sound like aircraft totally silent we see only light, sometimes after it disappeared in the sky.”
The incident prompted an investigation by officials who have since revealed that result of rocket testing by the military from the nearby Bay of Bengal.
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India TV reported that the bright object was likely an intercontinental ballistic missile - or Agni-5 -which can move at speeds of up to 3,100mph. Does anyone else think this actually sounds a bit scarier than a UFO?
A source told India TV: "The test was carried out to validate new technologies and equipment on the missile which is now lighter than before. The trial has proved the capability to enhance the range of the Agni-5 missile, if required.”
Earlier this year, the ‘world’s clearest UFO photo’ was published, 30 years after it was snapped by two hikers in the Scottish Highlands.
Dubbed the ‘Calvine Photograph’, the image was originally handed over to Scotland's Daily Record newspaper before being passed onto the Ministry of Defence (MoD), but was never seen by the public.
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In the image a diamond-shaped object can be seen hovering in the sky, while a fighter jet flies behind it.
The identity of the hikers who snapped the photo remains unknown, but it was captured on 4 August 1990 about 35 miles north-west of Perth, near Calvine.
Academic and journalist Dr David Clarke recently uncovered the photo after years of research.
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Alongside Vinnie Adams, from campaign group UAP Media UK, Dr Clarke has now ensured the image be filed at Sheffield Hallam University’s archives.
Adams told the Sun: "It’s been a privilege to work on this case with such a dedicated team of researchers.
"After 32 years, and an intensive investigation, it feels good to be able to show this elusive photograph to the world."
Topics: World News, UFO
Claire Reid