Charlie Redstar, the red light of Manitoba
The account
A ball of red light supposedly visited southern Manitoba for months, until the locals gave it a nickname.
What investigators found
There were investigations but no definitive explanation; bright stars and planets and aircraft are among the hypotheses.
The story
On February 23, 1975, a couple from Carman, in southern Manitoba, saw a red light flying low near their airstrip. It was the start of a wave of reports that stretched through the spring and summer of that year. The light became so well known that locals nicknamed it "Charlie Redstar," and curious onlookers spent nights by the road waiting for it.
The reports described a red ball that hovered silently and changed direction suddenly. Researchers and local authorities investigated and photos were taken, but no conclusion was accepted by everyone. Skeptics note that planets, stars low on the horizon and aircraft easily fool anyone watching the prairie sky, especially in a climate of collective expectation.