Zacatecas 1883: The Bonilla Observation
Mexican astronomer José Bonilla photographed 447 objects crossing the face of the Sun at Zacatecas Observatory, creating some of the earliest UFO photographs. In 2011, UNAM researchers identified the objects as fragments of a comet that nearly struck Earth.
On August 12, 1883, José Bonilla, director of the Astronomical Observatory in Zacatecas, Mexico, was preparing his telescope for routine solar observation when he noticed objects partially blocking the Sun. Over the next 48 hours, Bonilla photographed 447 objects crossing the solar disk using the wet-plate collodion process, creating what are generally regarded as the first photographs of unidentified flying objects.
Bonilla described the objects as "fuzzy" or "misty" in nature, often with "dark tails." His photographs and detailed observations were published in the prestigious French astronomy journal L'Astronomie in January 1886. Editor Camille Flammarion, unable to identify the objects, speculated they might be birds, insects, or dust near the telescope.
In October 2011, researchers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) published a study identifying the objects as fragments of a comet that had broken apart and passed extremely close to Earth. Their calculations suggested the fragments were between 538 and 8,062 kilometers from the surface, and if they had struck Earth, the impact would have caused "3,275 Tunguska events in two days, probably an extinction event."
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The Astronomical Observatory of Zacatecas was established in December 1882 atop La Bufa Hill. José Bonilla (1853-1920) was its first director, having been educated in engineering and astrophotography in Zacatecas, Mexico City, and Paris. The observatory was a legitimate scientific institution, and Bonilla was a credentialed professional astronomer.
The wet-plate collodion process Bonilla used was the standard photographic method of the era. It required coating glass plates with light-sensitive chemicals immediately before exposure and developing them while still wet. This process could capture rapid exposures (1/100 second), making it suitable for astronomical photography.
The 1880s were a period of active astronomical observation, but no technology existed that could produce the observed phenomenon artificially. Balloons existed but could not create hundreds of objects crossing the Sun's disk. The parallax effect noted in the 2011 study explains why only observers at Zacatecas latitude could see the objects.
Timeline
Witness Accounts
"[Observed] fuzzy or misty objects, often with dark tails, crossing the face of the Sun."
Physical and Documentary Evidence
Competing Explanations
Comet fragments passing close to Earth (2011 UNAM study) [4][5]
UNAM researchers calculated objects were 538-8,062 km from Earth based on parallax and timing data. The "fuzzy" appearance and "dark tails" match comet fragment characteristics. Parallax explains why only Zacatecas-latitude observers saw the event. Mass calculations suggest original comet was comparable to Halley's Comet.
No independent corroboration from other observatories at same latitude. Some aspects of calculation rely on assumptions about Bonilla's timing accuracy.
Birds, insects, or atmospheric debris (Flammarion 1886) [3]
Editor Camille Flammarion suggested objects might be nearby phenomena misperceived as distant. Birds or insects could produce silhouettes against the Sun.
The 48-hour observation period and 447 objects make insect/bird explanation implausible. Bonilla was an experienced astronomer who would recognize local debris. The "dark tails" are inconsistent with bird silhouettes.
Unidentified aerial phenomena [2][4]
Before the 2011 study, the photographs were considered unexplained. The structured appearance and organized transit across the Sun suggested artificial objects to some researchers.
The 2011 comet fragment hypothesis provides a natural explanation consistent with all observed characteristics. Scientific consensus now favors the comet explanation.
