Have you ever wondered what those mysterious lights in the Texas sky are? Well, you’re not alone. For decades, people have been fascinated by the phenomenon known as the Marfa Lights, also called the Marfa Mystery Lights or the Marfa Ghost Lights. These are glowing orbs that appear at night near the town of Marfa, Texas, and seem to dance, flicker, and change colors. Some say they are the spirits of ancient Native Americans, others say they are UFOs, and others say they are just car headlights or natural gas. But no one really knows for sure what they are or where they come from.
In this blog post, I will share with you my personal experience of seeing the Marfa Lights and some of the theories and legends behind them. I will also give you some tips on how to see them for yourself and what to expect when you visit Marfa, Texas.
I first heard about the Marfa Lights when I was a kid, watching a documentary on TV. I was instantly intrigued by the mystery and the beauty of these lights. I decided that one day, I would go to Marfa and see them for myself. So, when I grew up and had some spare time and money, I booked a flight to El Paso, rented a car, and drove to Marfa.
Marfa is a small town in West Texas, about three hours away from El Paso. It has a population of less than 2,000 people, but it is famous for its art scene and its quirky attractions. It is home to the Chinati Foundation, a contemporary art museum founded by Donald Judd, a minimalist artist who moved to Marfa in the 1970s. It is also home to Prada Marfa, a fake Prada store in the middle of nowhere that is actually an art installation by Elmgreen and Dragset. And of course, it is home to the Marfa Lights.
The best place to see the Marfa Lights is at the official viewing platform, located about nine miles east of town on Highway 90. It is open 24/7 and free to the public. It has restrooms, benches, telescopes, and informational plaques. It also has a parking lot where you can leave your car and walk to the platform.
I arrived at the viewing platform around sunset, hoping to catch a glimpse of the lights as soon as it got dark. There were already some other people there, mostly tourists like me, but also some locals who claimed to have seen the lights many times before. They told me stories about how the lights would sometimes chase cars or split into different colors or shapes. They also told me some of the legends behind them.
One legend says that the lights are the ghosts of Spanish conquistadors who were killed by Apache warriors in the area. Another legend says that they are the souls of miners who died in a nearby mine explosion in 1883. Another legend says that they are swamp gas or bioluminescent insects or ball lightning or mirages or reflections of distant stars.
But my favorite legend is that they are aliens who are visiting Earth for some unknown reason. Maybe they are studying us or maybe they are just having fun. Maybe they are friendly or maybe they are hostile. Maybe they are trying to communicate with us or maybe they are just messing with us.
As I listened to these stories, I felt a mix of excitement and fear. I wondered what I would do if I saw the lights and if they came close to me. Would I run away or would I try to talk to them? Would they ignore me or would they interact with me? Would they harm me or would they help me?
I didn’t have to wait long to find out. As soon as it got dark enough, I saw them. They were faint at first, but then they became brighter and more visible. They were white and yellow and orange and red and green and blue and purple. They were round and oval and square and triangular and star-shaped. They were big and small and medium-sized. They were moving slowly and fast and randomly and in patterns.
They were beautiful.
I was mesmerized by them. I couldn’t take my eyes off them. I felt like I was in a dream or a movie or a video game. I felt like I was witnessing something magical and mysterious and wonderful.
I grabbed my phone and tried to take some pictures and videos of them, but they didn’t come out well. They were too blurry or too dark or too far away. They didn’t capture the essence of what I was seeing.
I decided to put my phone away and just enjoy the moment. I watched them for hours, until they faded away into the night sky.
I left the viewing platform feeling happy and satisfied. I had seen what I came for. I had seen the Marfa Lights.
I don’t know what they are or where they come from or why they exist. I don’t know if they are natural or supernatural or extraterrestrial. I don’t know if they have a meaning or a purpose or a message.
But I do know that they are amazing and that they made me feel something that I can’t describe.
If you ever have a chance to go to Marfa, Texas, I highly recommend that you do. And if you ever have a chance to see the Marfa Lights, I highly recommend that you do.
You won’t regret it.
