On November 6, 1886, as the heavens over Sacramento—the state capital of California—dazzled with countless stars on a serene evening, an unexpected shadow abruptly obscured the view. The residents were astonished, for they witnessed something extraordinary six years prior to the invention of airplanes: a unidentified flying object (UFO)!

Inquisitive individuals assembled in the urban areas, some standing speechless while others shouted at the heavens that the apocalypse was imminent. The scene appeared as though an aircraft with aluminum outlines was soaring above the city, adorned with a massive searchlight illuminating the nearby rooftops, according to reports from a Belgian news source. RTBF .

A puzzling entity within the cosmic expanse

A UFO? Seriously? This decidedly contemporary term wasn’t used back then. Those who witnessed the event described it as more like a flying ship or perhaps even an airship. airship In Sacramento, as well as in Oakland and San Francisco, numerous individuals witnessed an unusual object pierce the night sky. It was reported on November 22nd of the same year that something resembling a cigar-shaped craft with a bright frontal light was spotted against the dark backdrop, supporting the notion that multiple types of flying machines existed.

Concerns at the police departments

At the police stations, queries piled up as citizens voiced their concerns. What caused this unexpected aerial assault? This event was scheduled to recur multiple times, even though automation hadn’t become a prevalent discussion in the United States at that point.

German espionage, just prior to the First World War: was it a hoax? Or perhaps a sighting of Venus or the Moon, appearing unusually close? The mystery continues to puzzle us even now...

(MH with Raphaël Liset - Source: RTBF - Image: ©Unsplash)