A blinding flash of light, something unidentified overhead or aliens at the door. Somewhere the truth is out there.

Canadians appear to be seeing more B次元官网网址渙ut thereB次元官网网址� while scanning the night skies in increasing numbers. The COVID-19 pandemic has people spending more time outdoors, which has led to a growing interest in astronomy and unusual calls to RCMP 911 dispatchers.

The Alberta centres received nearly 900,000 calls last year, and itB次元官网网址檚 the unusual ones B次元官网网址� not requiring police, fire or EMS to be sent out B次元官网网址� that tend to stand out in the minds of the 160 dispatchers.

B次元官网网址淭here were definitely some themes about unusual UFO sightings and satellites,B次元官网网址� said Tracy Duval, acting operations manager in Red Deer, Alta.

B次元官网网址淲e were getting a lot of calls with the SpaceX satellite launches. TheyB次元官网网址檙e a very specific pattern in the sky, theyB次元官网网址檙e not hitting the ground, and we can just explain very quickly to people that there are actual satellites in there.B次元官网网址�

SpaceX is a U.S. aerospace company founded by business magnate Elon Musk.

Duval said there are some people who are convinced that aliens have already landed and are trying to break into their homes.

B次元官网网址淚t makes you chuckle (and) you say, B次元官网网址楴o, IB次元官网网址檓 pretty sure youB次元官网网址檙e all rightB次元官网网址�. People do think that,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淲e have situations where people are (saying) B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址楴o, itB次元官网网址檚 legit. The aliens are coming.B次元官网网址� Sometimes itB次元官网网址檚 making sure that they donB次元官网网址檛 actually have someone breaking into their house when theyB次元官网网址檙e mistaking it for some extraterrestrial kind of experience.B次元官网网址�

Evan Davis of Shellbrook, Sask., had his own close encounter while driving to work early in the morning in late February.

B次元官网网址淚t was just kind of twilight. The sun was coming up behind me and all of a sudden there was a flash. And then there was this big, huge fireball and it was leaving a lit trail that stayed for a second or two behind it as it fell,B次元官网网址� Davis said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 something I wonB次元官网网址檛 forget. It was spectacular and the whole thing lasted about six or seven seconds total. It lit up the whole sky and then it was gone.B次元官网网址�

A comet fragment burning up in the EarthB次元官网网址檚 atmosphere did light up the early-morning sky over Alberta and Saskatchewan in February.

Winnipeg-based Ufology Research released a survey in March that indicated sightings of UFOs across Canada B次元官网网址� levitating discs, erratic lights and floating triangular objects B次元官网网址� increased by 46 per cent in 2020.

The centreB次元官网网址檚 Chris Rutkowski said the total of 1,243 sightings is one of the highest recorded in a single year.

A longtime astronomer suggests people are simply watching the night sky more during the pandemic.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been a real resurgence in astronomy,B次元官网网址� said Ron Waldron, president of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in Saskatoon, who noted telescopes are in short supply.

B次元官网网址淧eople are suddenly noticing the night sky. They havenB次元官网网址檛 taken the time to notice it before, so what astronomers have been watching for years, and know exactly what it is, people are now looking up and saying, B次元官网网址業 donB次元官网网址檛 know what that is, so it must be a UFO.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Waldron said more satellites are being launched B次元官网网址渕uch to the bane of astronomersB次元官网网址� and are visible to the human eye. So is the International Space Station on a clear night.

B次元官网网址�(People) arenB次元官网网址檛 necessarily able to interpret what theyB次元官网网址檙e seeing. There are no more unidentified flying objects up there during the pandemic than there were before.B次元官网网址�

Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press

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