José Bonilla’s Zacatecas Observatory Observations

Record summary

Mexican astronomer José Bonilla reported observing and photographing numerous dark objects crossing the solar disk at the Zacatecas Observatory in 1883. The observations were published in the astronomical press and later became a recurring item in UFO literature because the objects were interpreted by some writers as nearby craft. The lead is valuable for studying archival observation, image interpretation and retrospective anomalous claims. Mainstream astronomical explanations have included insects, birds or other material near the telescope, while the original observing conditions and photographs deserve direct examination.