Mystery as Black Rings Spotted In Sky Over Berlin

A video of three strange black rings of smoke hovering over the German capital on Wednesday has gone viral on social media, sparking a range of questions and possible answers on X/Twitter.

A Berlin news Instagram account @dasistberlinbitch posted the footage with several clips of the rings on Thursday that has so far been viewed more than 600,000 times. It shows the thick black rings over the north of the city from several angles.

The account captioned the video (translated): "So either aliens now want to go to Berghain [a famous nightclub] or God is smoking shisha."

German tabloid B.Z. Berlin posted on X (translated): "What was that on Wednesday evening in the north of Berlin? Several black rings were visible in the sky above the #Hauptstadt . The internet is speculating."

Speculation among social media users ranged from circular flocks of birds, to a government trick, to aliens, with some even suggesting that it was sign of assurance from Bob Marley in heaven.

However, one user, @030josef, had the most rational solution, suggesting it was the result of pyrotechnics. "Caused by industrial processes or explosions that release soot and exhaust gases into the air," he said. "Fireworks and pyrotechnic shows also often produce such effects."

He suggested that the rings may have been caused at a rehearsal by rock band Rammstein, who are famed for their pyrotechnics.

Another X user, @Joachim36911, posted a photo of a fireball between houses, and said this was the "trigger." "It is unclear whether the place of origin is the premises of an event technician," he said.

Similar phenomena have been witnessed multiple times across the world.

In 2023, a ring over Moscow was seen hovering before briefly rising higher in the sky. In 2014, according to a BBC report, a smoke ring was observed near Warwick Castle in England. It hovered in the sky for approximately three minutes and was captured by a 16-year-old girl on her smartphone. It was later revealed to be a result of fireworks testing.

A similar incident in Pakistan also caused a stir in 2020, according to reports. A thin black ring was seen in the skies of Lahore, Pakistan, causing concern online, according to The Sun.

Despite the concerns, the report highlighted many of the plausible explanations. An industrial fault on the ground like an electrical transformer blowing up could create the effect. That report also noted that the black ring could also be caused by the use of fireworks.