Warsaw: Stationary balloon with light rays
On March 23, 1892, residents in Warsaw observed a balloon emitting light beams from electrical equipment, hovering until 1 a.m. before departing west. Similar sightings occurred earlier at various Polish and Lithuanian fortresses, suspected as German spy craft.
Background
Sighting in Warsaw
On the evening of March 23, 1892, residents of Warsaw, Poland saw a balloon above the city that emitted beams from an electrical apparatus. It remained motionless until 1 a.m., then set off to the west.
Further Observations
Similar objects were sighted on March 22 or earlier above the Kaunas fortress in Lithuania and fortresses at Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, Sosnowiec, Dąbrowa Górnicza, and Dąbrowice in Poland. They remained stationary for up to 40 minutes.
Witnesses and Reactions
Local residents reported the incidents. Many took the balloons to be controlled craft operated by German spies, because of their ability to hold position.
Sources and Significance
Reports appeared in newspapers including the New York Evening World (March 25), the Manchester Guardian, and the New York Times. Historians such as Brett Holman refer to it as the "Phantom Balloon Scare". An early misidentification of military balloons as a threat, relevant to UAP timelines as a military incident.