Texas keeps its reputation as UFO country

This image, posted to the Mutual UFO Network website, purportedly shows a UFO near the Eagle Ford Shale in July 2012. This image, posted to the Mutual UFO Network website, purportedly shows a UFO near the Eagle Ford Shale in July 2012. Photo: YouTube Photo, Mutual UFO Network Photo: YouTube Photo, Mutual UFO Network Image 1 of / 110 Caption Close Texas keeps its reputation as UFO country 1 / 110 Back to Gallery

About 9:30 p.m. Aug. 18, a brilliantly lit object that obviously was not an airplane was seen in the sky over San Antonio, moving rapidly toward Randolph Air Force Base.

The pedestrian who saw the object told the Mutual UFO Network that it made no sound and the brilliant light remained after the object was out of sight, according to MUFON's latest monthly UFO Alert.

The San Antonio sighting was one of 42 reported in Texas, the second highest number in the United States. California took the top spot, with 99.

Texas typically ranks second or third among states in the number of UFOs reported to MUFON, said Fletcher Gray, the group's volunteer chief investigator for Texas.

Founded in 1969, MUFON calls itself the world's oldest and largest investigative body looking into UFOs.

Most reports from Texas come from the eastern portion of the state, east of a line drawn from the Panhandle to Corpus Christi, said Fletcher Gray, the group's volunteer chief investigator for Texas.

Most also prove to be unfounded, he said. A lot of the reports are hoaxes, and some are from well-meaning people who report something that turns out to be a natural phenomenon, he said.

For example, last month there was a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which looked like one large object in the sky, he said.

The San Antonio sighting is still under investigation, and among the others, Gray said he thought there was only one that could not be explained.

Among the August sightings nationwide, the sphere remained the most-reported UFO shape, with 179 cases. Other shapes reported included circle, star-like, triangle, disc, oval, fireball, cylinder, flash cigar, boomerang, blimp, cone diamond, bullet-missile, teardrop, chevron, Saturn-like and one sighting described as a cross.

Also nationwide, there were 28 landings, hoverings or take-offs reported.