Aliases
Disambiguation
Term refers to the 1947–1970s vocabulary for unidentified flying objects shaped like or described as saucer-like; distinct from modern UAP terminology. Often confused with extraterrestrial spacecraft, though the term predates scientific consensus on origins.
Stats
Concept
A media and cultural term coined in 1947 to describe unidentified aerial phenomena, particularly disc-shaped objects, originating from Kenneth Arnold's Mount Rainier sighting and popularized through the Cold War era before being superseded by UFO and UAP terminology.
Um termo midiático e cultural cunhado em 1947 para descrever fenômenos aeromóveis não identificados, particularmente objetos em forma de disco, originário da observação de Mount Rainier de Kenneth Arnold e popularizado durante a era da Guerra Fria antes de ser substituído por terminologia UFO e UAP.
Enrichment
- Flying SaucerWikipedia▎ high· 2026-05-14
- Purported disc-shaped unidentified flying object (UFO)
- Term coined in 1947 by U.S. news media
- Origin traced to Kenneth Arnold's June 24, 1947 sighting
- Newspaper misreporting of motion description as shape description
- Widespread usage 1947–mid-1970s, later replaced by UFO and UAP terminology
- Unidentified Flying Object (UFO): History, Sightings, & FactsBritannica▎ high· 2026-05-14
- UFO defined as airborne object or optical phenomenon not readily identified
- First major sighting in 1947 near Mount Rainier
- Three successive USAF investigations: Project Sign (1948), Project Grudge (1949), Project Blue Book (1952–1969)
- Robertson Panel (1953) found 90% of sightings resulted from astronomical/weather/earthly objects
- Condon Report (1968) found no evidence of extraterrestrial origins
- Kenneth Arnold: UFO, 1947 & Flying SaucerHISTORY▎ high· 2026-05-14
- Kenneth Arnold was a civilian businessman and amateur pilot
- Sighting occurred June 24, 1947 while searching for downed aircraft
- Arnold estimated speeds of approximately 1,700 mph
- Objects described in V-formation, glowing bright blue-white
- Arnold's motion description 'like a saucer skipping on water' misinterpreted as shape
FLYING SAUCERS
Description (EN)
Stub generated by entity dedup. Will be enriched in Phase 6.
Descrição (PT-BR)
Stub gerado pela deduplicação de entidades. Será enriquecido na Fase 6.
<!-- enrichment:start -->Enrichment (EN)
Disambiguation: Term refers to the 1947–1970s vocabulary for unidentified flying objects shaped like or described as saucer-like; distinct from modern UAP terminology. Often confused with extraterrestrial spacecraft, though the term predates scientific consensus on origins.
Flying saucers is a cultural and media term coined in 1947 by U.S. news outlets to describe unidentified aerial phenomena, originating from pilot Kenneth Arnold's June 24, 1947 sighting near Mount Rainier, Washington. Arnold described nine crescent-shaped objects moving "like a saucer if you skipped it across water"—referring to their motion, not shape—but newspaper editors misinterpreted the description as referring to a disc shape, thus coining "flying saucer" and "flying disc." The term achieved widespread use from 1947 through the 1950s and into the mid-1970s, becoming synonymous with UFO sightings during the early Cold War period. It was eventually supplanted by more formal military and scientific terminology: "UFO" (Unidentified Flying Object) and later "UAP" (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena).
Enriquecimento (PT-BR)
Desambiguação: Term refers to the 1947–1970s vocabulary for unidentified flying objects shaped like or described as saucer-like; distinct from modern UAP terminology. Often confused with extraterrestrial spacecraft, though the term predates scientific consensus on origins.
Discos voadores é um termo cultural e midiático cunhado em 1947 por órgãos de imprensa norte-americanos para descrever fenômenos aeromóveis não identificados, originando-se da observação do piloto Kenneth Arnold em 24 de junho de 1947 perto do Monte Rainier, Washington. Arnold descreveu nove objetos em forma de crescente movendo-se "como um disco se o jogasse pulando na água"—referindo-se ao movimento, não à forma—mas editores de jornais interpretaram mal a descrição como referindo-se a uma forma de disco, cunhando assim "disco voador" e "disco voador". O termo alcançou uso generalizado de 1947 através da década de 1950 e até meados da década de 1970, tornando-se sinônimo de observações de OVNIs durante o início do período da Guerra Fria. Foi eventualmente substituído por terminologia militar e científica mais formal: "UFO" (Objeto Voador Não Identificado) e posteriormente "UAP" (Fenômenos Aeromóveis Não Identificados).
External Sources
- Flying Saucer · Wikipedia · reliability:
high— Purported disc-shaped unidentified flying object (UFO); Term coined in 1947 by U.S. news media; Origin traced to Kenneth Arnold's June 24, 1947 sighting; Newspaper misreporting of motion description as shape description; Widespread usage 1947–mid-1970s, later replaced by UFO and UAP terminology - Unidentified Flying Object (UFO): History, Sightings, & Facts · Britannica · reliability:
high— UFO defined as airborne object or optical phenomenon not readily identified; First major sighting in 1947 near Mount Rainier; Three successive USAF investigations: Project Sign (1948), Project Grudge (1949), Project Blue Book (1952–1969); Robertson Panel (1953) found 90% of sightings resulted from astronomical/weather/earthly objects; Condon Report (1968) found no evidence of extraterrestrial origins - Kenneth Arnold: UFO, 1947 & Flying Saucer · HISTORY · reliability:
high— Kenneth Arnold was a civilian businessman and amateur pilot; Sighting occurred June 24, 1947 while searching for downed aircraft; Arnold estimated speeds of approximately 1,700 mph; Objects described in V-formation, glowing bright blue-white; Arnold's motion description 'like a saucer skipping on water' misinterpreted as shape