Christopher Columbus UFO sighting in 1492

In 1492, Christopher Columbus and Pedro Gutierrez while on the deck of the Santa Maira, observed, "a light glimmering at a great distance." It vanished and reappeared several times during the night, moving up and down, "in sudden and passing gleams."

Source: 'The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus'
From "The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus":

Christopher Columbus and Pedro Gutierrez while on the deck of the Santa Maira, observed, "a light glimmering at a great distance." It vanished and reappeared several times during the night, moving up and down, "in sudden and passing gleams." It was sighted 4 hours before land was sighted, and taken by Columbus as a sign they would soon come to land.

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From the WaterUFO.net site:

Even Christopher Columbus, it appears, saw a UFO. While patrolling the deck of the Santa Maria at about 10:00 PM on October 11, 1492, Columbus thought he saw "a light glimmering at a great distance." He hurriedly summoned Pedro Gutierrez, "a gentleman of the king's bedchamber," who also saw the light. After a short time it vanished, only to reappear several times during the night, each time dancing up and down "in sudden and passig gleams." The light, first seen four hours before land was sighted, was never explained."

(from Beyond Earth: Man's Contact with UFOs, by Ralph Blum and Judy Blum, which is referring to 'The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus' (1850).)

http://www.ufoevidence.org/cases/case487.htm