Scientists looking into the universe’s unexplained phenomena have a rule: it’s never aliens, until it’s aliens. A mysterious recent event in central Taiwan has some speculating on whether this time, it might really be aliens.
Twelve mysterious points of light appeared for a brief moment in the skies over Puli Township in central Taiwan’s Nantou County. They first formed a tight circle and then expanded outwards. After videos of the event were uploaded online, some thought the lights were caused by a drone, while others speculated that it might be a UFO or even an alien invasion.
Local residents were quick to explain, though. It turned out that the lights were not a UFO, nor an extraterrestrial invasion force, but a projection from the local Chung Tai Chan Monastery. The twelve beams of light only appeared as points of light because of low cloud cover.
Local photographer Chen Chi-yuan says the monastery turns the beams on during religious events. The beams appear as points of light hovering above the town if the clouds are really low to the ground.
A senior priest explained that the monastery is currently closed to the public due to COVID concerns, and that the projection was just a test.
Local residents say the monastery only turns the beams on four or five times a year. If the cloud cover happens to be low, it can startle those who see it for the first time.