The Petrozavodsk Phenomenon
Before dawn, a huge glowing shape like a jellyfish hung over a Soviet city, trailing rays of light.
What was reported
At about 4 am on 20 September 1977, people in Petrozavodsk saw a huge glowing object appear in the sky. They described it as like a jellyfish, with rays of light pouring down towards the city. It hung there for minutes before fading.
Similar lights were reported across north-western Russia and in Finland. The Soviet news agency TASS reported it, which was unusual, and Soviet scientists set up a study of strange aerial phenomena in response.
Explanations offered
The lights coincided with the launch of a Soviet satellite, Kosmos-955, from the secret Plesetsk launch site. Rocket exhaust lit by the sun high above the dark ground can spread into glowing shapes. The military kept the launch secret at the time.
- When
- 20 September 1977
- Where
- Petrozavodsk, Karelia, Russia (then USSR)
- Witnesses
- Thousands across Karelia and Finland
- Status
- Explained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.