The Apollo 17 astronauts were the last humans to set foot on the moon, and according to newly released documents, they witnessed some unusual phenomena during their mission. While collecting rock samples in 1972, the crew also reported observing strange lights and objects in space. One astronaut described the lights as “like the Fourth of July.” These accounts are part of a growing body of evidence that has sparked renewed public interest in unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), previously known as UFOs.
The release of these files marks a significant step in transparency, with the Pentagon sharing information about potential UAP sightings from various NASA missions. The documents include transcripts of communications between astronauts and mission control, offering insight into what the crew observed during their time on the moon.
What was the Apollo 17 mission?
Apollo 17 was the ninth and final crewed mission under NASA’s Apollo program, which aimed to land humans on the moon. It was the sixth and last time astronauts walked on the lunar surface. Since then, NASA has been working on the Artemis campaign, which aims to return humans to the moon. In April, four astronauts completed a historic trip around the moon’s far side without landing, marking the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17.
During the Apollo 17 mission, the crew collected lunar regolith samples and conducted scientific experiments. However, they also reported witnessing strange phenomena above the moon’s surface, which have now come to light through the recent disclosure of government files.
Did Apollo 17 astronauts witness UFOs?
Newly released documents reveal that the Apollo 17 crew observed unidentified phenomenon over three consecutive days. A transcript of their communications with Johnson Space Center details their observations. On the first day, Ronald Evans reported seeing “very bright particles or fragments” drifting nearby. Harrison Schmitt described the phenomenon as looking “like the Fourth of July.”
On the second day, commander Eugene Cernan reported spotting “some sets of the streaks” accompanied by an intense flashing light. Within three hours, he observed more flashing and a rotating phenomenon that seemed to correspond to objects in space. On the third day, Schmitt noted a flash on the lunar surface north of Grimaldi crater.
The astronauts speculated that some of these phenomena could be related to the Saturn V rocket stages that had propelled them to the moon. However, the Pentagon is now investigating a photo showing three bright lights in a triangular formation above the lunar terrain.
Pentagon to investigate photo from Apollo 17
The Pentagon included a previously released photo in its disclosure, which shows three bright lights in a triangle formation. According to the Pentagon, there is no consensus on the nature of the anomaly. New preliminary analysis suggests the image may be the result of a physical object in the scene.
This release comes after President Donald Trump tasked Pentagon officials with making public files related to alien life, UAP, and UFOs. The documents include materials from the White House, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Defense Department, NASA, and the Energy Department.
Other NASA missions and UFO sightings
Apollo 17 is not the only NASA mission where astronauts reported encountering unidentified objects. Files from Apollo 11, Apollo 12, Gemini VII, and Skylab have also been included in the Pentagon’s release.
During the Gemini VII mission in 1965, astronauts Jim Lovell and Frank Borman reported sighting a “bogey” and a debris field. Lovell described a “brilliant body in the sun against a black background with trillions of particles on it.” An attached document includes handwritten notes referring to the encounter as a “UFO Sighting by Borman.”
Apollo 11, which made history in 1969 as the first mission to land astronauts on the moon, also included reports of three UFO sightings. Buzz Aldrin’s debriefing mentioned an object approaching the moon, flashes of light inside the cabin, and a bright light that may have been a laser.
During Apollo 12 in 1969, astronauts Alan Bean and Charles “Pete” Conrad reported observing unidentified phenomena above the lunar surface. Bean described particles and flashes of light “sailing off in space,” while Conrad noted floating debris illuminated by the module’s tracking light.
