A cryptic photograph depicting what looks like a gargantuan 1,000-foot-wide unidentified flying object (UFO) flying above the American Southwest has stormed social media. Widespread shared by UFO disclosure supporters, the photo has caused a fiery online debate as users argue if it is an actual extraterrestrial sighting or simply a mistaken visual anomaly.
The photo surfaced at a UAP Disclosure Fund panel in Washington, DC, called Science, National Security and Innovation. Former Pentagon official Luis ‘Lue’ Elizondo, who was involved in previous UFO research, unveiled the photo at the gathering, which included scientists and US legislators calling for more openness regarding UFO-related information.
The UAP Disclosure Fund also shared the image on X (formerly Twitter), tagging it: “Seen close to Four Corners at FL210, approximated 600–1000 ft in diameter, silver-colored, disc-like.” The photo is said to have been captured by a commercial airline pilot in 2021 and depicts what appears to be a metal disc with a clear shadow on the ground.
Mixed Reactions and Expert Skepticism
While the object’s shadow is being indicated as proof of its physical existence, Elizondo pointed out, “I can’t vouch for the authenticity of the photo because I didn’t take it.” He added that the photograph was taken by a civilian camera and stressed that the shadow could imply that it was something concrete.
The group also asserted that multiple speakers at the event testified that the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community possess hundreds of such classified photos and sensor reports on UFOs.
But the skepticism was quick in coming. Famous UFO skeptic Mick West ruled out the claim, stating the object might simply be circular crop irrigation fields that can be found throughout dry areas. He went on to say that the shadows of the surrounding hills do not match up with the supposed shadow of the UFO. Elizondo previously garnered criticism for peddling dubious UFO content, and several of his previous claims have been repudiated by the Pentagon.
Social Media Users Split
Internet users have expressed a broad spectrum of views. One user said, “It doesn’t look much like a UFO. But I lived in that area as a kid, and UFO sightings were fairly frequent. My brother and I spotted one in the late ’90s—a yellow-green disc that traveled at impossible velocities before blasting off into space.”
Another respondent commented, “Aren’t those just irrigation circles?” with another person adding humorously, “Alien activity?” Numerous others chimed in to second that the photograph is more likely to show farmland patterns rather than extraterrestrial activity.
