UFOs of Pudasjärvi

The UFOs of Pudasjärvi (Pudasjärven ufot) were light phenomena and flying objects that many people reported seeing in and around the Pudasjärvi's area in North Ostrobothnia, Finland in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The highest number of sightings was reported in January 1971, and the largest regional concentration of sightings was in Särkivaara (now Syötekylä), located about 145 kilometres (90 mi) northeast of Oulu and about 165 kilometres (103 mi) southeast of Rovaniemi in the vicinity of Iso-Syöte near the Taivalkoski's municipal border. In terms of timing, it was also related to the Saapunki's "light ball" seen in Kuusamo in January 1971.

The interest of UFO researchers and the press in the UFOs of Pudasjärvi was aroused by a sighting in September 1969. After that, UFO researchers from other parts of Finland and Sweden visited the region. Scientists also took a prominent part in the public debate sparked by the UFO sightings in Pudasjärvi, commenting skeptically on the alleged observations and evidence; some parties even tried to find uranium in Pudasjärvi, inspired by the UFO sightings. An earthquake light has been proposed as an explanation for the Pudasjärvi phenomena; based on seismic magnitude measurements made in Finland, there are more earthquakes than usual in Northwestern Kainuu and Southeastern Lapland, most of which can only be detected with a seismometer, and on the other hand, the Pudasjärvi region is home to an ancient fault line and the boundary between different rock types.

In the 1970s, engineer Ahti Karivieri (1933–2022) and motorist Atte Särkelä (1936–2021) planned and implemented a small-scale photography project. The result was approximately 400 shots of color slides, black-and-white photos and infrared images. The best and most research-valuable images were obtained on infrared film.