Since 1883, mysterious glowing lights have appeared in the desert near Marfa, Texas. They appear at night, varying in color and brightness, sometimes splitting, moving, or vanishing. Explanations have ranged from car headlights and atmospheric refraction to swamp gas and optical illusions. No explanation has fully accounted for the phenomenon.
Account
Since 1883, mysterious glowing lights have appeared in the desert near Marfa, Texas. They appear at night, varying in color and brightness, sometimes splitting, moving, or vanishing. Explanations have ranged from car headlights and atmospheric refraction to swamp gas and optical illusions. No explanation has fully accounted for the phenomenon.
Contested
The lights are real and well documented. Proposed explanations include car headlights, atmospheric refraction, and swamp gas, but none fully accounts for all reported behaviors.
Sources
- Marfa local records
- 1883 rancher report
- modern scientific investigations