IFOs

A key characteristic of a UFO is that it is an unidentified flying object. Describing something as a UFO doesn't necessarily mean that it is an alien spaceship or a psychic phenomenon, it simply means that it has not (yet) been identified.

The vast majority of UFOs sightings turn out to have a very ordinary explanation. In this case the sighting is reclassified by investigators as an IFO: an identified flying object.

What Are IFOs?

Some of the most common forms of IFO responsible for UFO reports include (in no particular order):

Bright planets Meteorites The moon Aircraft Satellite re-entry Balloons Blimps Laser light displays Wedding lanterns Birds

You might think that some of those are too commonplace to be mistaken for UFOs. However a combination of unusual lighting and angle combined with a lack of depth cues can make almost anything seem weird.

It's important to remember that even if a sighting doesn't seem to fit any of the usual IFO patterns it isn't necessarily an alien spaceship; it might simply be some other ordinary object viewed under unusual conditions.

It's equally important to remember that although the vast number of UFO reports do turn into IFOs, a stubborn minority refuse any conventional explanation and remain a mystery. Those who seek to debunk the entire UFO field often focus on the IFOs and brush off the unexplained sightings as hoax, error or delusion.