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How can fog and haze affect the reliability of UFO observations?

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Declassified U.S. military video of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) — unidentified flying object Learn about an unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) sighting from this video (known as the Gimbal video) captured by fighter pilots associated with the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group. The video shows instrument detections of unknown aerial objects, which the pilots were unable to identify, off the East Coast of the United States, 2014–15.

The reliability of unidentified flying object reports is significantly influenced by observing conditions, including the presence of fog and haze.1

These atmospheric conditions can degrade the accuracy of human perception by reducing visibility and altering the appearance of objects in the sky. Because observers often lack reliable reference points—such as clouds or mountains—when viewing objects against a blank or obscured sky, their estimates of distance, speed, and size become highly unreliable.12

Furthermore, the unaided eye is prone to optical illusions, and atmospheric particles can distort light sources. When combined with the psychological tendency to interpret ambiguous visual data, these environmental factors often lead to misidentifications of natural phenomena or common objects as anomalous craft. Maintaining a rigorous, evidence-based approach to evaluating these reports is essential for distinguishing between genuine anomalies and the effects of atmospheric interference or human error.1