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1981 · Seen across Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu, Qinghai and south-central China

The '7·24' spiral over western China

On the record
Strength C · 6/10 · 2 independent
Evidence 2/4 · Witnesses 2/3 · Backing 2/3

Professional astronomers saw and triangulated it, and a U.S. Air Force intelligence unit translated the analysis; no launch matches.

Plausibility High
Score 14 · 8 factors for, 1 against

Professional astronomers saw and triangulated it, a USAF intelligence unit translated the analysis, and no launch matches; popular retellings inflate it.

See the factors ↓

Natural cause proposed, not demonstrated
From the accounts: a point of light grew into a huge silver spiral over western China on 24 July 1981. · Illustration for uaptrail.com
When24 July 1981, 22:38–22:52 Beijing time
WhereSeen across Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu, Qinghai and south-central China
Backing2 independent
Evidencesensor data, official records

On the night of 24 July 1981 people across western and south-central China watched a point of light grow into a huge silver spiral drifting west for several minutes. Astronomers at the Purple Mountain Observatory were among the witnesses, and two independent triangulations put it about 500 km up, moving several km/s on a retrograde track. A rocket has been proposed, but no launch that night appears in the public record. The U.S. Air Force translated the Chinese analysis.

Evidence, in date order (2)

  1. 1981Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciencessensor data
    astronomers saw it and triangulated its height
  2. 1983USAF Foreign Technology Divisionofficial
    translated the Chinese space-journal analysis (DTIC ADA133326) FTD-ID(RS)T-1019-83

How plausible · High

Professional astronomers saw and triangulated it, a USAF intelligence unit translated the analysis, and no launch matches; popular retellings inflate it.

  • ●●
    Access Purple Mountain Observatory astronomers.
  • ●●
    No gain sought Science reports.
  • ●●
    Restraint Height and speed measured, not interpreted.
  • ●●
    Character record Chinese Academy of Sciences.
  • ●●
    Independent convergence Independent triangulations and over 120 written reports.
  • ●●
    Checkable details check out The 1982 analysis is in DTIC.
Against
  • −
    Story grew Popular versions add 10 million witnesses, hovering and portholes.

Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-23.

Claims

A star-like point brightened, oscillated and grew a luminous band into a huge silver spiral drifting west for 6–7 minutes.firsthandSourced, unconfirmedseveral Purple Mountain Observatory (CAS) astronomers, and 70+ and 50+ written reports
Independent triangulations by Purple Mountain Observatory and the Sichuan UFO Research Association put it at about 500 km (±10%), several km/s, on a retrograde 112° track, ruling out a meteor; about 70 press and radio items, including Xinhua worldwide; at least three similar spirals over north-west China in the previous four years.analysisOn the recordLong Ruyi, 'First UFO Incident for Our Country', Hangtian no. 4 (1982), USAF FTD translation FTD-ID(RS)T-1019-83
About 650 km up, a 'man-made aircraft'.analysisSourced, unconfirmedastronomer Liu Yan (Purple Mountain Observatory)
Some 10,000,000 witnesses; it hovered, changed direction, and had a bell-like centre with portholes.speculationLeadpopular retellings

Where

Seen across Sichuan, Yunnan, Gansu, Qinghai and south-central China
29.0°N 103.0°E · region only

Connected cases

8·20 UFO 2011

Sources

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