Aerial Observation of Intense Source of Light

On 10 September 1976, a British European Airways (BEA) flight (number 831) traveling from Moscow to London encountered an unusual aerial phenomenon. Between 1800 and 1900 hours, while cruising at an altitude of approximately 33,000 feet (9,900 meters) near the border of Lithuania, the flight crew observed a single, stationary light source off the starboard flight path. The object was estimated to be 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 kilometers) away from the aircraft's path and positioned approximately 5,000 to 6,000 feet (1,500 to 1,800 meters) below the aircraft, situated above a lower cloud layer. The light was described as having the appearance of a sodium vapor lamp, characterized by a yellowish color and an intensity so high that it was too bright to view directly for any extended period. The light illuminated the top of the cloud layer below it. The BEA pilot reported the incident over the aircraft's intercom system and subsequently contacted Soviet authorities to request an identification of the source. The Soviet response was a negative identification, accompanied by an instruction that the pilot should not ask questions regarding the matter. The light remained visible for approximately 10 to 15 minutes until the aircraft had flown past the object.