Mysterious Texas Lights Draw Crowds (Marfa Lights)

Yahoo News via AP ^ | Sat Jul 16,11:46 AM ET | By MICHAEL GRACZYK, AP

[No Blue States]

I have seen the Marfa lights and wonder what other peoples opinions are as to their cause.

If you are wondering, I do not know. They were not that much like car headlights. More like floating balls of electricty. Or at least it appeared that way.

Some sort of optical illusion? Headlights reflecting off the mountains? But there were no cars when they were 1st observed..

If you have not actually seen them, its easier to dismiss as a scam. Its way too much work for someone to do nearly every night for a joke, and would have been found out after all these years.

I am baffled 10 years after looking at them. There are websites that appear to explain them away, but they arent 100% convincing imo.

[Luigi Vasellini]

We have the Paulding lights here in Michigans UP. They say its due to the earths crust rubbing together

[martin_fierro]

That Shaft is one baad marfa...

[mmercier]

Sounds like ball lightning.

[pointsal]

too much LONE STAR long-necks followed by Tequilla shooters

[No Blue States]

[Renfield]

That same phenomenon occurs in a big swamp near the community of Oak Grove, SC (near the border between Marlboro County and Dillon County). People there don't know what it is, either.

[cripplecreek]

Shut yo mouf.

[texas_mrs]

I went to the viewing station last year with my parents and daughter. Dad says he saw them once in the 50's, but we didn see them this go-around. Would like to someday.

[coloradan]

Fireflies.

[martin_fierro]

... but I'm jus' talkin' 'bout Shaft!

[No Blue States]

"How often do they occur? Can you see them every night? Or is it just occasionally?

If I were investigating, the first thing I would do would be to bring a couple of survey transits and triangulate the lights to get their distance."

We were visiting Alpine on a honeymoon and went there one evening. They were very visible then, but we may have got lucky. I heard they do not appear every night.

I wanted to drive over to them for a closer look.
Im not sure if the disappear as you approach one.

[Jason_b]

Someone must have by now attempted to go where the lights seem to be coming from at the time the lights are active. When he gets there, what does he find? If it seems that the lights are always receding from the observer that would be a clue this is some kind of mirage. Do the lights have any relationship with the lunar phases? Perhaps when the moon is bright, the reflected light from the moon reflects again off of shiny quartz rocks sticking out of the hill. Just pondering.

[muawiyah]

Kind of like September/October in the cornbelt when you're out there just sitting around a campfire, next to a field that's being left to dry, and you can see the Indians moving around just like they did a thousand years ago.

[No Blue States]

too much LONE STAR long-necks followed by Tequilla shooters

lol that would do it!

[CollegeRepublicanNU]

Yooper in the house!! I'm a thumb-body myself, lol... the UP is amazing.

[No Blue States]

Sounds like ball lightning.

Thats what I think they looked like most. They almost appeared to be pulsating and some had a red or blue tint.

[federal]

There are many places which have similar types of lights.

I have always thought they are either some sort of electrical anomaly related to the auroras or some sort of light lensing produced by the atmosphere.

[No Blue States]

Have you seen those Paulding lights? If so what did you think?

Sometimes it seems like everything has already been discovered or explained. Its nice to still have a few mysteries left to make one wonder.