The 1561 Celestial Phenomenon Over Nuremberg

At dawn on April 14, 1561, the citizens of Nuremberg, Germany, witnessed an extraordinary event in the sky. Hundreds of spheres, cylinders, crosses, and other shapes appeared and seemed to engage in an aerial battle. The event was documented in a famous woodcut by Hans Glaser and reported in a contemporary broadsheet.

The Event

According to contemporary accounts, the phenomenon began at sunrise. Large numbers of spheres, some blood-red, some blue-black, appeared in the sky. Alongside them were cylindrical shapes and crosses. The objects seemed to fight each other, flying back and forth across the sky.

After approximately one hour, the objects appeared to tire and fall to earth, where they were said to burn up in vapor. A large black, spear-shaped object was also seen.

The Documentation

Hans Glaser, a Nuremberg printer, created a woodcut depicting the event that remains one of the most famous pieces of UFO-related artwork. The image shows spheres and cylinders filling the sky above the city, with a large black arrow-shaped object prominent among them.

The accompanying text described the event as a divine warning, interpreting it through the religious lens of the time. The author urged citizens to repent their sins.

Interpretations

Modern UFO researchers have cited the Nuremberg event as evidence of historical UFO activity, interpreting the spheres and cylinders as alien craft engaged in battle.

Skeptics have proposed various natural explanations, including sun dogs (parhelia), atmospheric optical phenomena caused by ice crystals. Such phenomena can produce bright spots and light formations in the sky.

Others have suggested the account was exaggerated or fictional, a piece of sensational publishing rather than accurate reporting.

Historical Context

The sixteenth century produced several similar reports. In 1566, Basel, Switzerland, experienced a similar celestial phenomenon, also documented in a broadsheet. Such events were interpreted as divine signs during a period of religious upheaval.

Whether natural, supernatural, or extraterrestrial, the phenomenon was witnessed by many people and documented by a professional printer.

Assessment

The Nuremberg celestial phenomenon remains one of history’s most puzzling aerial events. The documentation is genuine—Hans Glaser’s woodcut exists in museums. Many witnesses observed something unusual in the sky.

Whether that something was a misinterpreted natural phenomenon, an early UFO encounter, or something else entirely, the people of Nuremberg saw their sky filled with battling objects nearly five centuries ago.