Beatle’s Star John Lennon’s Strange But Compelling UFO Encounter From His NYC Rooftop Penthouse

John Lennon’s Strange But Compelling Encounter With A UFO On His NYC Penthouse Rooftop

John Lennon’s Encounter with a UFO Atop His NYC Penthouse

Many are aware, both within and beyond the UFO enthusiast circles, that the former Beatle, John Lennon, witnessed a UFO in New York during the mid-1970s. However, the intricate details of this encounter seldom receive attention—merely that the singer-songwriter spotted what appeared to be an extraterrestrial craft. Adding to the mystery are later claims that Lennon might have been abducted by beings from this seemingly otherworldly vessel.

Considering this possibility, some speculate whether Lennon, akin to other historically significant individuals with unique talents, was specifically chosen by these alleged extraterrestrial visitors. It’s pondered if his remarkable abilities and life philosophy could stem from earlier, undisclosed encounters. The truth remains elusive, yet Lennon’s UFO sighting stands out as one of the most fascinating celebrity encounters with the unknown, especially given his candidness about the experience.

The Mysterious Sighting on a Sweltering August Evening

In most accounts of that day, near 8 pm on August 23, 1974, after enduring a day of intense heat and humidity, Lennon and Pang found themselves in their penthouse on 52nd Street in New York City. The heat had lessened slightly but remained unbearably hot, leading Pang to open the apartment’s windows, hoping the East River’s breeze would bring some relief. Shortly after, both Pang and Lennon spotted something unusual outside.

Lennon remembered standing near the window that opened to the roof, without clothes due to the sweltering heat, when his eyes caught a peculiar object floating above the neighboring building. He described this odd sight as being “no more than 100 feet away” and noted it had “ordinary electric light bulbs flashing on and off round the bottom” with “one non-blinking red light on top”.

He detailed how the object seemed to be effortlessly “coasting” along, with its presumed occupants appearing indifferent to who might witness it. Lennon observed the object for approximately 20 minutes as it moved away, eventually vanishing over the East River near the United Nations building.

Pang, on the other hand, had stepped out onto the terrace and witnessed the peculiar flying object as well. She described it as a “circular object” that was “coming towards us.” She elaborated that it had the shape of a “flattened cone” and noted that “on top was a larger, brilliant red light” which “was not pulsating as on any of the aircraft we’d see heading for a landing at Newark Airport.”

She also mentioned seeing a “white circle of lights” along the bottom edge that “encircled the entire rim of the craft.” She remarked that there were “so many of these lights that it was dazzling to the mind.”

The Vanishing Evidence

During the sighting, Lennon tried to photograph the UFO using his Polaroid camera, only to discover it was non-functional due to damage sustained in a recent interview mishap, rendering him unable to capture any images. Pang, however, succeeded in taking several photographs from the rooftop with her 35mm camera. Considering their proximity to the object (Lennon remarked it was so near that he could have “seen it even without my glasses, and I’m very shortsighted”), they believed they had secured some exceptionally clear shots.

Once the object vanished, John immediately sought out paper to draw a sketch of the advanced craft he had observed, wanting to document his experience while the details were still vivid in his memory.

Soon after the event, a friend of Lennon and Pang, Bob Gruen, arrived at their apartment. Without delay, they shared their extraordinary experience with him and handed over the 35mm film for urgent development.

Gruen remembered that he “took the film home and put John’s roll of film between two rolls of film” he had shot previously, before getting them developed. Gruen noted that while his photographs “came out perfectly,” the roll from John was entirely blank. Upon returning the blank film to Lennon and Pang, he expressed his bafflement, suggesting it seemed as though it had “been through the radar at customs.”

This raises questions about the likelihood of the film being a “bad film,” especially considering Pang’s extensive experience with photography without prior issues. Was it a mere stroke of bad luck, or did the UFO—or its occupants—employ a form of technology that rendered the film inoperative?

Intriguingly, Gruen reached out to the local police to inquire about any UFO sightings over the East River that night. To his astonishment, the switchboard operator informed him that he was the third caller to report such an occurrence that evening.

Uri Geller’s Intriguing Claims

Years after the ex-Beatle’s untimely and tragic demise (following a shooting by a deranged fan outside his New York residence in December 1980), Uri Geller, a close acquaintance of Lennon, revealed that the incident in the penthouse was not Lennon’s initial encounter with a UFO.

Geller recounted Lennon’s story to him about an incident that occurred one evening in the early to mid-1970s while Lennon was in his Dakota apartment in New York. Lennon described experiencing an intensely bright light outlining his bedroom door. This light was so luminous and forceful that he suspected it was a spotlight directed into his apartment. Upon getting up and moving towards the door, he was taken aback when it suddenly flew open without any prior indication.

Lennon’s subsequent recollection was seeing “four thin-looking bug-like figures” moving towards him while he found himself rooted to the spot, apparently unable to move. Two of these figures took hold of his hands, and the remaining two secured each of his legs. He was then “guided into a tunnel of light.” Within this unusual tunnel, he witnessed his life flash before his eyes, as though he was “watching a movie.” Geller conveyed that Lennon characterized the encounter as the “most outstandingly beautiful thing he’d ever seen.”

“Something Happened!”

Suddenly, Lennon noticed the figures had disappeared without a trace, as if they were present one moment and vanished the next. Moreover, he found himself not in the center of the room but back on his bed. Intriguingly, Yoko Ono slept through the whole event. This detail stands out because it echoes similar narratives in other supposed abduction incidents where the partner of the abductee remains entirely unaware of the extraordinary events happening around them, as if rendered incapable of noticing.

Lennon conveyed to Geller, “something happened, either I’ve forgotten, blocked it out, or they won’t let me remember.” However, the tale took an even more peculiar turn.

Geller shares that Lennon produced a bizarre, gold, egg-shaped item from his pocket and gave it to him. Geller noted the object seemed metallic, “very smooth and very heavy.” Lennon suggested Geller keep the peculiar artifact, remarking it was “too weird for me” and suggesting if the item was his “ticket to another planet,” he was not interested in using it. Lennon remembered an extraterrestrial hand emerging from the light to offer him the artifact.

Years later, Geller mentioned the artifact was “not a rock” and its composition remains a mystery. Noteworthy is Geller’s rationale for not subjecting the artifact to analysis to verify if it could be an artifact of unknown origin—a query he claims to receive “thousands of emails” about annually. He mentioned his hesitation was due to not wanting to be “disappointed” should it turn out the artifact was “made in China.”

The true nature of this artifact continues to be an enigma. However, considering Lennon’s narrative to Geller with seriousness, it might compel us to reconsider the sighting he later experienced with May Pang under a newly informed lens.

Perhaps the intrigue surrounding Lennon’s UFO encounter is amplified by the possibility that it was just one episode among several interactions with beings from another dimension (though it’s wise to approach such assertions with a degree of skepticism).

Vivid Memory of Having Been “Abducted”

Exploring another of Lennon’s supposed extraterrestrial experiences, this time shared by May Pang, adds depth to the narrative. Pang consistently maintained that Lennon recounted an early childhood experience in Liverpool’s Woolton neighborhood, where he felt he had encountered alien beings. According to Pang’s recounting of Lennon’s words, he awoke with a vivid impression of having been “abducted,” a seminal event he believed set him apart from others for his entire life.

This particular reflection is fascinating. Many individuals who report alien abductions, especially those describing recurrent events, similarly speak of feeling disconnected from their peers, echoing the sentiment Pang attributes to Lennon.

The question arises: Could John Lennon have been repeatedly visited by extraterrestrial forces throughout his life, and were these encounters the catalysts for his artistic genius? He wouldn’t be the first eminent figure to report such experiences. Was it mere coincidence that he was, at the time of his well-documented sighting, arguably the world’s most influential musician? The notion presents a tantalizing hypothesis—that some alien abductions aim to shape human destiny.