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How to Document a Strange Sound Overhead

A useful report captures clean audio plus the exact time, direction, weather, duration, and visible activity surrounding the sound.

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On this page

  • Recording usable audio and video
  • Logging time, direction, and weather
  • Finding independent witnesses and sources
Preview for How to Document a Strange Sound Overhead

Introduction

If you hear an unusual sound that appears to come from the sky, the most useful response is not to speculate about its origin but to document it carefully. High-quality recordings and accurate observations give researchers, journalists and other witnesses the best chance of identifying whether the sound was caused by aircraft, weather, geological activity, industrial sources, wildlife or a genuinely unexplained event. Most reports of mysterious aerial sounds are eventually linked to ordinary causes, but some remain unresolved because the available evidence is incomplete or lacks context. NASA’s review of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) likewise concluded that poor-quality data and missing metadata are major obstacles to meaningful analysis.[nasa.gov]nasa.govUNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENANASA UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA IndependentSeptember 13, 2023…Published: September 13, 2023

Overview image for Record It

Record usable audio and video

A recording is most valuable when it captures the sound naturally rather than attempting to make it seem louder or stranger.

If possible:

  • Start recording as soon as you notice the sound.
  • Keep the phone or recorder still rather than waving it around.
  • Avoid speaking over the recording except to announce useful information such as the current time or compass direction.
  • Continue recording for at least a minute after the sound stops, as this captures ambient background noise for comparison.
  • If safe, record both audio and a wide-angle video showing the surrounding sky and horizon.

If you have another device available, consider using one device for uninterrupted audio while another records video. Even if nothing unusual appears visually, the video provides evidence of cloud cover, aircraft, weather conditions and other contextual details.

Do not apply filters, noise reduction or editing before saving the original file. Keep an untouched copy with its original creation time and metadata intact. NASA’s UAP study specifically highlighted the importance of preserving sensor information and recording context because missing metadata makes later scientific analysis much more difficult.[nasa.gov]nasa.govUNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENANASA UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA IndependentSeptember 13, 2023…Published: September 13, 2023

Record It illustration 1

Log the details while they are fresh

Human memory changes quickly, so write down observations immediately after the event.

Record:

  • Exact date and local time (including the time the sound began and ended).
  • Estimated duration.
  • Direction the sound seemed to come from (using a compass app if available).
  • Whether the sound moved or appeared stationary.
  • Estimated loudness and whether windows or objects vibrated.
  • Description of the sound, such as humming, booming, metallic, trumpet-like, pulsing or crackling.
  • Whether the sound changed in pitch, rhythm or volume.

Avoid describing what you think caused it. Separate direct observations (“three loud booms”) from interpretations (“it sounded like a UFO”).

4:00:26

Public Meeting on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (Official NASA Broadcast)

Channel: NASA Video · Views: 358.7K · Uploaded: May 2023 · Length: 4 hours

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Record the surrounding conditions

Context often explains mysterious sounds better than the recording alone.

Note:

  • Weather conditions, including cloud cover, rain, fog and wind.
  • Temperature, if known.
  • Whether thunder, lightning or storms were nearby.
  • Any visible aircraft, helicopters or drones.
  • Bright objects, meteors or unusual lights.
  • Nearby industrial activity, quarry blasting or construction.
  • Whether the sound coincided with an earthquake, vibration or shaking.

Researchers studying mysterious booms have found that many reports are eventually associated with atmospheric conditions, sonic booms, small earthquakes or other natural and human-made sources rather than a single unexplained phenomenon.[USGS]usgs.govEarthquake Booms, Seneca Guns, and Other Sounds | U.S. Geological SurveyEarthquake Booms, Seneca Guns, and Other Sounds | U.S. Geological Survey…

Record It illustration 2

Look for independent witnesses

Independent observations are more valuable than multiple people discussing the event together before writing their accounts.

If others heard the sound:

  • Ask them to record their own recollections separately.
  • Compare the reported time, duration and direction afterwards.
  • Note whether people in different locations heard the same sound.
  • Save any publicly available recordings from nearby residents without altering the originals.

Independent accounts can help establish how widely the sound was heard and whether it appeared to move across an area.

The Source Behind a Mystery Sound Heard Around the World

Channel: Inside Edition

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Check ordinary explanations before drawing conclusions

Many apparently mysterious sounds have identifiable causes that may not be obvious at first.

Useful checks include:

  • Flight tracking services for nearby aircraft.
  • Official weather records for thunderstorms or atmospheric conditions.
  • Earthquake monitoring services if a boom coincided with ground vibration.
  • Local news about quarry blasting, military exercises or industrial incidents.

The absence of an immediate explanation does not mean the sound has an extraordinary origin. The US Geological Survey notes that mysterious booms have been reported for centuries, with some linked to shallow earthquakes, sonic booms or other natural processes while others remain unexplained because evidence is insufficient.[USGS]usgs.govEarthquake Booms, Seneca Guns, and Other Sounds | U.S. Geological SurveyEarthquake Booms, Seneca Guns, and Other Sounds | U.S. Geological Survey…

Record It illustration 3

Preserve the original evidence

After recording:

  • Keep the original media files unchanged.
  • Make a backup before sharing them.
  • Record the file names and creation times.
  • If uploading online, retain the original files in case compressed versions lose useful information.

Compression by social media platforms often removes metadata and reduces audio quality, making later analysis more difficult.

What makes a report genuinely useful?

The strongest reports usually include several pieces of mutually supporting evidence rather than a single dramatic recording.

A useful report typically contains:

ObservationWhy it mattersOriginal audio recordingAllows independent analysis of the sound.Exact timestampsEnables comparison with weather, aircraft and seismic records.Direction of the soundHelps estimate possible sources.Weather observationsAssists in evaluating atmospheric explanations.Video of the surroundingsDocuments visible conditions and nearby activity.Independent witness accountsHelps confirm whether the event was widespread.Notes made immediately afterwardsReduces memory distortion.

What Causes Skyquakes That Sound Like Sonic Booms? - Strange Science HQ

Channel: Strange Science HQ

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Common mistakes to avoid

Several habits reduce the value of otherwise interesting recordings:

  • Zooming excessively, producing unstable footage.
  • Narrating continuously over the sound.
  • Editing or enhancing the audio before preserving the original.
  • Estimating times from memory instead of checking a clock.
  • Assuming the source without evidence.
  • Sharing only short clips that omit what happened before or after the sound.[usgs.gov]usgs.govWhat is that mysterious booming sound? | U.S. Geological SurveyWhat is that mysterious booming sound? | U.S. Geological Survey…

Careful documentation cannot determine the cause of every unexplained sky sound. However, by preserving clean recordings together with accurate information about the time, direction, weather and surrounding activity, you create evidence that is far more useful for independent investigation than a recording presented without context.

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Further Reading

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Endnotes

1. Source: nasa.gov
Title: UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA
Link:https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/uap-independent-study-team-final-report-0.pdf?emrc=67322e8f26f79

Source snippet

NASA UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA IndependentSeptember 13, 2023...

Published: September 13, 2023

2. Source: standards.nasa.gov
Title: Standards Still and Motion Imagery Metadata Standard | Standards
Link:https://standards.nasa.gov/standard/NASA/NASA-STD-2822

Source snippet

NASA StandardsStill and Motion Imagery Metadata Standard | Standards...

3. Source: usgs.gov
Title: Earthquake Booms, Seneca Guns, and Other Sounds | U.S. Geological Survey
Link:https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/earthquake-booms-seneca-guns-and-other-sounds

Source snippet

Earthquake Booms, Seneca Guns, and Other Sounds | U.S. Geological Survey...

4. Source: usgs.gov
Title: What is that mysterious booming sound? | U.S. Geological Survey
Link:https://www.usgs.gov/publications/what-mysterious-booming-sound

Source snippet

What is that mysterious booming sound? | U.S. Geological Survey...

5. Source: usgs.gov
Title: Sonic Booms | U.S. Geological Survey
Link:https://www.usgs.gov/programs/earthquake-hazards/sonic-booms

Source snippet

Sonic Booms | U.S. Geological Survey...

6. Source: usgs.gov
Link:https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-are-those-booms-i-sometimes-hear-or-during-earthquake

Source snippet

What are those booms I sometimes hear before or during an earthquake? | U.S. Geological Survey...

7. Source: science.nasa.gov
Link:https://science.nasa.gov/uap/faqs/

8. Source: science.nasa.gov
Link:https://science.nasa.gov/uap/

9. Source: usgs.gov
Link:https://www.usgs.gov/media/videos/may-3-2025-bolide-acoustic-signal-recorded-infrasound-station-yellowstone-national

10. Source: nasa.gov
Title: Submit a Photo/Video to NASA
Link:https://www.nasa.gov/forms/submit-a-photo-video-to-nasa/

11. Source: usgs.gov
Link:https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/how-does-usgs-tell-difference-between-earthquake-and-a-sonic-boom

12. Source: nasa.gov
Title: UPDAT E: NASA Shares UAP Independent Study Report; Names Director
Link:https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/update-nasa-shares-uap-independent-study-report-names-director/

13. Source: nasa.gov
Title: NAS A to Release, Discuss Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Report
Link:https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-to-release-discuss-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena-report/

14. Source: data.usgs.gov
Link:https://data.usgs.gov/datacatalog/data/USGS%3A5f9aecf0d34e198cb78b8879

15. Source: nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov
Title: display Dir.cfm
Link:https://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov/displayDir.cfm?Internal_ID=N_PR_8621001D&page_name=AppendixH

16. Source: data.usgs.gov
Link:https://data.usgs.gov/datacatalog/data/USGS%3A5e71021fe4b01d5092682261

17. Source: nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov
Title: display Dir.cfm
Link:https://nodis3.gsfc.nasa.gov/displayDir.cfm?Internal_ID=N_PR_1441001E&page_name=Chapter1

18. Source: pubs.usgs.gov
Link:https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/670/html/metadata.html

19. Source: pubs.usgs.gov
Link:https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70048204

20. Source: pubs.usgs.gov
Title: 08034 boomerprofiles faq
Link:https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2009/1001/data/seismic/boomer/08034_boomerprofiles_faq.html

21. Source: pubs.usgs.gov
Link:https://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/445/html/metadata.html

22. Source: asrs.arc.nasa.gov
Link:https://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/uassafety.html

23. Source: weather.gov
Title: Spotter’s Field Guide
Link:https://www.weather.gov/spotterguide/reports

24. Source: weather.gov
Link:https://www.weather.gov/box/nwr

25. Source: pmel.noaa.gov
Link:https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/acoustics/sounds/earthquake.html

Additional References

26. Source: wired.com
Link:https://www.wired.com/story/nasa-ufos-aliens-report-2023

Source snippet

The agency stressed the need to shift the conversation from sensationalism to science and eliminate the stigma associated with reporting...

27. Source: uap-archive.org
Title: NAS A UAP Independent Study Public Meeting & Briefings | UAP Records Archive
Link:https://uap-archive.org/uap/records/nasa-uap-independent-study-public-events/

Source snippet

NASA UAP Independent Study Public Meeting & Briefings | UAP Records ArchiveJune 6, 2026 NASA UAP INDEPENDENT STUDY PUBLIC MEETING &...

Published: June 6, 2026

28. Source: fisheries.noaa.gov
Link:https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/science-data/sounds-ocean-environmental-and-anthropogenic

Source snippet

and Anthropogenic Ocean Sounds | NOAA FisheriesJuly 14, 2026 SOUNDS IN THE OCEAN: ENVIRONMENTAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC Listen to exemplar so...

Published: July 14, 2026

29. Source: youtube.com
Title: What Causes Skyquakes That Sound Like Sonic Booms?
Link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYwZgl0rbHQ

Source snippet

How to Record Unexplained Sky Sound audio UAP UFO field recording Man records Alien on Camera - UFO Sightings, Scary Videos & Creepy TikT...

30. Source: youtube.com
Title: Public Meeting on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (Official NASA Broadcast)
Link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQo08JRY0iM

Source snippet

What Causes Skyquakes That Sound Like Sonic Booms?...

31. Source: youtube.com
Title: The Source Behind a Mystery Sound Heard Around the World
Link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vul4SYL4QiQ

Source snippet

Public Meeting on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (Official NASA Broadcast)...

32. Source: youtube.com
Title: Field Recording For Beginners
Link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLY0ZUrlm78

Source snippet

The Source Behind a Mystery Sound Heard Around the World...

33. Source: youtube.com
Title: How to Start Field Recording (Beginners Guide!)
Link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7luWHIIh2o

Source snippet

Field Recording For Beginners - Essential GEAR & TIPS...

34. Source: ncei.noaa.gov
Title: passive acoustic data
Link:https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/passive-acoustic-data