Kaikōura lights sightings

Record summary

A series of unusual lights was reported by aircraft crews and other observers over the Kaikōura coastline and nearby sea in late 1978 and early 1979. Television footage and radar-related claims made the episode influential in UFO literature. New Zealand authorities and later commentators disputed how much the observations demonstrated, with possible explanations including fishing vessels, planets, and optical effects. The lead matters for comparing maritime luminous reports with later folklore about sea lights, but the evidentiary record and interpretation of the footage require careful review.