Temperatures During CE Marfa Light Sightings

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CE Marfa Lights (the designation James Bunnell gives to the mystery lights, in southwest Texas, that display characteristics suggesting chemical and/or electromagnetic aspects)—those ghost lights can appear at any time of year, in a variety of weather conditions. But eight years of data gathering indicate those lights have a preference for warmer air temperatures.

Warmer Nights for Marfa Lights

Of the fifty-two sightings recorded by James Bunnell (author of the nonfiction book Hunting Marfa Lights), he included much information in his book, including temperatures when each sighting began. . . . None of those temperatures were below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. About 15% were from 20-40 degrees, 25% were 40-60 degrees, and 58% were from 60-80 degrees (one sighting began when it was over 80 degrees). This is consistent with a group of nocturnal predators that need to hunt year round, but find it more challenging to find prey on colder nights.

Regarding predators hunting in cold winter weather in North America, consider the contrast between the Black Bear and the wolf. One hibernates, the other hunts prey. But if a group of large, intelligent nocturnal flying predators were to survive in North America, why would they not adapt a different strategy for winter? Why not fly long distances to hunt, if necessary? With local prey animals more likely to be underground, why not travel further away when hunting in winter? I suspect such predators would hunt more on more moderate nights, rather than the coldest nights, unless they were especially hungry or had a particularly rewarding opportunity.

If the Marfa Lights predators often sleep in a cave in the Big Bend National Park, they would be expected to spend less time hunting around Marfa on the coldest nights, for it would be more difficult to find prey. This coorelates very well with the data compiled by Bunnell over many years.

A Scientific Look at Marfa Lights

The consecutive nights of July 14th and 15th, 2006, (Texas time-date, not the Universal date mentioned on Modern Pterosaur: July 15-16) fit well the hypothesis of glowing flying predators, because of the start times of those ML events, recorded by Bunnell’s camera or cameras. On the first night, the mystery light display started 38 minutes after sunset, and on the second night, 37 minutes after sunset.

The above post relates indirectly: not according to temperature but consecutive-night sightings. This is another way to use the data to test the bioluminescent-flying-predator hypothesis.

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