But if you think the greatest surprise coming your way will be a shooting star, you might need to think again...
Believe it or not, Chile is often cited as the country with the highest recorded number of UFO sightings. Low humidity, plateaus at high altitudes, and clear skies which are relatively free from light pollution, all conspire to make it a favourite among UFO-seekers the world over.
"THE CLEAR SKIES OF ATACAMA OFFER UNRIVALLED VIEWS OF OUR GALAXY"
The unassuming Andean town of San Clemente has gained galactic fame in recent years, becoming an unexpected mecca for UFO enthusiasts. Since the mid-nineties, hundreds of curious sightings have been reported in the area. In 2008, a designated UFO trail was opened by the local council, encouraging visitors to explore the area, learn about sightings, and have their minds suitably boggled. This nineteen-mile stretch in the Andes has been dubbed by British Airways magazine HighLife to be the best place in the world to come into contact with an extra-terrestrial...
"SAN CLEMENTE HAS SOME SECRETS TO HIDE..."
San Clemente's clear blue skies are perfect for keen and inquiring eyes to seek out the weird and the wonderful spinning through the sky... From glowing orbs sweeping downwards to sink into rivers and lakes, to hovering discs appearing quite literally out of the blue, many a baffled local has a strange tale to tell...
Along the trail are restaurants, cabins, campsites, and information boards detailing noteworthy encounters with the otherworldly. UFO-hunters can also explore the peculiar landscape of El Enladrillado, an enigma in itself. After several hours of trekking by foot or on horseback, this plateau can be found at an altitude of 2,300 metres. Made up of 233 rectangular volcanic stone slabs, these have been arranged to form a vast, flat surface, which many believe to be the ideal landing pad for spacecrafts. It's a marvel worth visiting even if you aren't lucky enough to unravel the secrets of the universe, since no one has managed to explain which ancient culture managed to create this geometric stone pavement in the middle of nowhere.
During the trail, you can also drop in at Lake Colb'un, which supposedly attracts unusual activity because of its high mineral level. No guarantees of a glimpse of a flying saucer, of course, but you never know...
"KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED AT LAKE COLB'uN"
Further north, things are looking no less spooky and suspicious... this July the Chilean government officially categorised an object hovering over the Atacama Desert as a UFO. The separate governmental office created specifically to investigate UFO sightings in the country, the CEFAA, was alerted to the sighting of a disc-shaped body, spotted by technicians working at the Collahuasi copper mine. The perplexed witnesses initially intended to keep their experience quiet, fearing disbelief, and it was only when the chief engineer at the mine saw the photos that he sent them to the CEFAA for analysis. All possible meteorological explanations have been dismissed, and thus the mystery remains, with some considering the object to be a missive from outer space... You can see some of the images of suspected UFOs visiting Chile's skies here.
And if after all that you are still hot on the heels of the weird and unexplained, you can head to the Elqui Valley, near La Serena, which is famed for its crystal clear skies, observatories and, you guessed it, the odd UFO sighting. Thought to be one of the most magnetic places on Earth, and a renowned source of powerful cosmic energy and paranormal activity, idle stargazing in the valley might just make us earthlings realise that we are not so alone in the universe after all...
"THE MYSTERIOUS ELQUI VALLEY"
Whether you believe in UFOs or not, don't forget to cast your eyes to the heavens on Wednesday 8th October to catch a full lunar eclipse if you find yourself in North or South America, or anywhere around the Pacific Ocean!
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