FBI UFO Files: Agents Observe the Northeastern Orbs (Declassified 2024–2026)

Declassified FBI records spanning from late 2024 to early 2026 document federal follow-up on recurring unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) in the Northeastern United States. The files are notable not only for the witness's own technical efforts to rule out prosaic causes—including reported gamma-radiation spikes and ADS-B cross-checks—but because federal agents who visited the property to observe documented seeing the anomalous lights themselves.

The November 2024 Observation Visit

In late 2024 the FBI's involvement moved from interviews to an in-person observation visit. According to an Electronic Communication (FD-1057) filed in November, multiple Special Agents visited a civilian witness's property to confirm reports of UAP activity that had been ongoing for three years. The weather was noted as approximately 48 degrees with overcast conditions (f5cfb310e3064e34).

At approximately 4:45 p.m., an agent observed a "white pulsation of light appear" at the northern edge of the property. The official report notes that the light began to move horizontally with "somewhat erratic movements" and did not reflect off the nearby water, indicating the source was over a wooded area. The light "danced around less than ten seconds, moving side to side, and then disappeared" (f5cfb310e3064e34).

The sightings intensified as the evening progressed. Within the western tree line, agents observed white lights that would "pulse and flash it white/blue hue and then disappear." At approximately 5:30 p.m., two Special Agents observed what they believed to be a UAP. The object appeared as a "bright white light above a bright red light" hovering at tree-top height. The agents documented that the object moved quickly from right to left, disappeared, and then "re-appeared simultaneously where it had first appeared" before vanishing again (f5cfb310e3064e34). Agents attempted to photograph the phenomena, but noted that the long exposure required for the camera aperture yielded mostly blurry images.

The Data-Driven Witness

The primary witness in this investigation was not a casual observer. The FBI files describe an individual who utilized technical equipment to rule out prosaic explanations for the recurring phenomena.

To eliminate the possibility of misidentifying conventional aircraft, the witness utilized Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data. The FBI documented that the witness "cross referenced date and time stamps with ADSB records to determine what sightings may be aircraft," specifically calculating the azimuth of the observed lights to check against the flight tracking data (c33b63109ce1e9d5).

Furthermore, the witness established a data collection station on their property, utilizing trail cameras and other environmental sensors. According to an October 2024 communication, the witness reported seeing "spikes in Gamma radiation that correlate with times REDACTED has observed the objects, and additional unusual effects on electronics and GPS data from devices" (24438d15d989c8b1). The witness, who described themselves as a former skeptic with no prior interest in UAPs, provided the bureau with multiple video clips of the anomalies.

Bizarre Physics: Plasma Suns and Merging Orbs

The physical descriptions of the objects, captured in a February 2026 FD-302 interview report, detail highly anomalous characteristics. The witness described observing an intense bright light hovering below the tree line. Upon closer inspection, the object was described as a "red sphere that was about one meter in diameter." The witness noted that inside the center of the red sphere, there appeared to be a "white plasma sun" roughly the size of a basketball (b5513dea063f469e).

As the observation continued, a second identical orb appeared hovering above the first. The report states that the objects moved silently and in a smooth motion, traveling in tandem "as if they were flying in formation or were tethered together." Most notably, as the objects moved out of sight, the witness observed the orbs appear to "merge together into one orb"—or, as the report itself hedges, they may have been "so close together that the witness could only see one orb" (b5513dea063f469e).

A separate FD-302 report corroborates this merging behavior, noting an observation of a yellow basketball-sized orb and a larger beach ball-sized orb. The witness stated that they "saw one orb going into the other orb before disappearing abruptly" (b612cbe81c33546e). The witness explicitly noted that looking at the intense light caused no strain or discomfort to their eyes.

The 1996 Incident and Redaction Patterns

While the primary focus of the FBI's investigation centered on the 2021–2026 Northeastern sightings, the files reveal a historical precedent involving the same witness. During an interview, the witness recounted an event from 1996 while driving with a U.S. Army officer from Fort Bliss, Texas, to Fort Carson, Colorado.

While traveling through New Mexico, the witness claimed that the vehicle they were driving "shut down and a large light shined on REDACTED and REDACTED passenger." After approximately two minutes, the light departed and the vehicle's electronics spontaneously turned back on (c33b63109ce1e9d5).

The redaction patterns across the various versions of these documents highlight the FBI's specific sensitivities. While the physical descriptions of the orbs and the agent sightings remain largely unredacted, the identities of the witnesses, the specific geographic coordinates of the Northeastern property, and the names of the involved military personnel from the 1996 incident are heavily shielded under standard exemptions.

Ruling Out Drones: The Daytime Site Survey

To validate the agent sightings and rule out localized hoaxes, the FBI conducted a formal daytime site survey of the property in December 2024. Special Agents walked a two-mile loop around the perimeter, descending to the water's edge to check for lines of sight and potential launch points for conventional drones.

The agents found no unusual evidence on the ground, noting only an old fire pit blanketed with undisturbed leaves. Crucially, the agents assessed the density of the forest canopy. The official conclusion entered into the federal record stated that the tree cover was moderate, and agents "assessed that it would be unrealistic for someone to fly a drone or other craft at night without the risk of crashing into tree limbs" (abcbc0042ec0f228).

This methodical follow-up shows agents pursuing specific UAP reports in person—conducting witness interviews, an evening observation visit, and a daytime site survey—rather than treating the reports as paper files alone. The documents themselves draw no conclusions about the orbs; per the FD-302 boilerplate, they contain "neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI."

What the document does not say

For researchers utilizing UAP Archives, it is equally important to note the boundaries of the federal record. These documents do not:

• Identify the origin, manufacturer, or nature of the plasma orbs.
• Provide a scientific explanation for the reported spikes in gamma radiation or GPS anomalies.
• Confirm whether the 1996 New Mexico vehicle shutdown was related to the modern Northeastern sightings.
• Make any reference to extraterrestrial, non-human, or foreign adversarial origins.
• Include the actual photographs taken by the agents, which are referenced as enclosures but are not present in this specific release.

Read it yourself

• FBI Electronic Communication (FD-1057) - November 2024 Observation Visit
• FBI Electronic Communication (FD-1057) - October 2024 Witness Interview
• FBI Electronic Communication (FD-1057) - October 2024 Data Collection
• FBI FD-302 UAP Sighting Report - February 2026 Plasma Sun
• FBI FD-302 Interview Report - Merging Orbs
• FBI Electronic Communication (FD-1057) - December 2024 Site Survey