The celestial phenomenon over Nuremberg in 1561, commonly referred to as the Nuremberg celestial event or the Nuremberg UFO sighting, is a historical event that occurred on April 14, 1561, in the skies above Nuremberg, Germany. The event was documented in a broadsheet published by Hans Wolff Glaser, a local printer, shortly after the incident.

According to Glaser's account, the spectacle began at dawn and involved various unusual aerial phenomena. Witnesses reported seeing a large number of cylindrical objects, spheres, and crosses engaged in a fierce battle in the sky. These objects emitted smoke and fire, clashed with each other, and made peculiar noises. Some of them reportedly fell to the ground and disappeared in a loud explosion.

Glaser's broadsheet, titled "A Prodigy in the Sky," included a woodcut illustration depicting the celestial event. The woodcut shows numerous shapes, including discs, globes, and crescent-like objects, engaged in an apparent aerial confrontation.

The text of the broadsheet has been translated by Ilse Von Jacobi as follows:

In the morning of April 14, 1561, at daybreak, between 4 and 5 a.m., a dreadful apparition occurred on the sun, and then this was seen in Nuremberg in the city, before the gates and in the country – by many men and women. At first there appeared in the middle of the sun two blood-red semi-circular arcs, just like the moon in its last quarter. And in the sun, above and below and on both sides, the color was blood, there stood a round ball of partly dull, partly black ferrous color. Likewise there stood on both sides and as a torus about the sun such blood-red ones and other balls in large number, about three in a line and four in a square, also some alone. In between these globes there were visible a few blood-red crosses, between which there were blood-red strips, becoming thicker to the rear and in the front malleable like the rods of reed-grass, which were intermingled, among them two big rods, one on the right, the other to the left, and within the small and big rods there were three, also four and more globes. These all started to fight among themselves, so that the globes, which were first in the sun, flew out to the ones standing on both sides, thereafter, the globes standing outside the sun, in the small and large rods, flew into the sun. Besides the globes flew back and forth among themselves and fought vehemently with each other for over an hour. And when the conflict in and again out of the sun was most intense, they became fatigued to such an extent that they all, as said above, fell from the sun down upon the earth 'as if they all burned' and they then wasted away on the earth with immense smoke. After all this there was something like a black spear, very long and thick, sighted; the shaft pointed to the east, the point pointed west. Whatever such signs mean, God alone knows. Although we have seen, shortly one after another, many kinds of signs on the heaven, which are sent to us by the almighty God, to bring us to repentance, we still are, unfortunately, so ungrateful that we despise such high signs and miracles of God. Or we speak of them with ridicule and discard them to the wind, in order that God may send us a frightening punishment on account of our ungratefulness. After all, the God-fearing will by no means discard these signs, but will take it to heart as a warning of their merciful Father in heaven, will mend their lives and faithfully beg God, that He may avert His wrath, including the well-deserved punishment, on us, so that we may temporarily here and perpetually there, live as his children. For it, may God grant us his help, Amen. By Hanns Glaser, letter-painter of Nurnberg.

The incident attracted widespread attention and sparked much debate among the people of Nuremberg. While interpretations varied, the prevailing explanation at the time was that the event was a heavenly sign, possibly indicating divine intervention or impending doom. Some attributed the event to a celestial battle between angelic or demonic forces, while others believed it to be a portent of war or disaster.

Modern interpretations of the Nuremberg celestial event lean towards a more skeptical view. Many researchers suggest that the event may have been a mass sighting of natural phenomena, possibly a rare atmospheric optical phenomenon or a meteor shower. The woodcut illustration, they argue, could be a subjective artistic interpretation rather than an accurate depiction of what was witnessed.

Despite numerous attempts to explain the Nuremberg celestial event, no definitive conclusion has been reached. The event remains an intriguing historical enigma and an example of a mass sighting that captured the imagination of people during that era.

Since the incident in 1561, the Nuremberg celestial event has continued to capture the interest of researchers, historians, and enthusiasts. Various theories and hypotheses have emerged over the years, aiming to shed light on the mysterious event.

One of the explanations proposed by skeptics is that the celestial phenomenon was a misinterpretation of astronomical or meteorological events. Some argue that it could have been a rare atmospheric optical phenomenon, such as a sun halo or a parhelion, which can create the appearance of multiple objects in the sky. Others suggest that it might have been a meteor shower, with the objects observed being meteorites burning up in the atmosphere.

Despite the various theories put forward, it is challenging to reach a definitive conclusion due to the limited historical records and the lack of scientific data from that time. The accounts of the event primarily rely on Glaser's broadsheet and the woodcut illustration, both of which are subjective and open to interpretation.

The Nuremberg celestial event remains an intriguing and debated historical occurrence, representing a fascinating intersection of science, art, and human perception. It serves as a reminder of how historical events can be shaped by cultural and religious beliefs, as well as the challenges in accurately interpreting and understanding events from centuries past.

As technology and scientific knowledge continue to advance, it is possible that new discoveries or analyses may offer further insights into the nature of the Nuremberg celestial event. Until then, it will continue to be a subject of fascination and speculation, highlighting the enduring allure of unexplained phenomena throughout human history.

In summary, the 1561 celestial phenomenon over Nuremberg was a spectacle witnessed by numerous individuals in which various unusual aerial objects appeared to engage in a fierce battle in the sky. The incident was documented in a broadsheet and depicted in a woodcut illustration. While historical interpretations leaned towards supernatural or divine explanations, modern research suggests natural phenomena as a more plausible explanation. Nonetheless, the exact nature of the event remains a subject of debate and intrigue.