what is a close encounter of the third kind
A “close encounter of the third kind” is a UFO sighting where a person not only sees a UFO at close range, but also observes a living entity associated with it (such as a humanoid, robot, or other being) nearby or inside the craft, without necessarily having communication or abduction.
What the term actually means
- In UFO research (ufology), a close encounter is a UFO seen at relatively close range, where misidentification is less likely.
- The “third kind” (often written CE-3) means that during this close sighting, an animated entity is present, believed to be an occupant or pilot of the UFO.
- The beings can be humanoid, robotic, or otherwise non-human; witness reports range from solid physical figures to more strange or shadowy forms.
- Direct communication or abduction typically moves the event into “fourth kind” territory in later expanded systems.
In simple terms: First you see a UFO, then you see effects it causes, and by the third kind, you see who (or what) is supposedly inside it.
Where the idea comes from
- The term was introduced by astronomer and UFO researcher J. Allen Hynek in his 1972 book The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry , as part of his classification system for UFO encounters.
- Hynek’s system was meant to bring some scientific-style structure to wildly varying UFO reports, so researchers could compare cases more consistently.
The “first,” “second,” and “third” kinds
Here’s how the first three levels in Hynek’s system are usually described.
| Encounter type | What happens | Key feature |
|---|---|---|
| Close encounter of the first kind (CE-1) | UFO seen at less than about 500 feet, with clear detail. | [1][3]Visual sighting only; no physical effects. | [3][1]
| Close encounter of the second kind (CE-2) | Close UFO sighting plus physical effects (scorch marks, interference with electronics, animal reactions, heat, etc.). | [1][3]Something in the environment or on the witness is measurably affected. | [3]
| Close encounter of the third kind (CE-3) | Close UFO sighting where an animated entity—humanoid, robot, or similar—is seen and believed to be an occupant. | [5][1][3]Presence of non-human beings linked to the UFO. | [1][3]
- Fourth kind: abduction experiences.
- Fifth kind: claimed human-initiated communication with extraterrestrials.
These additions are popular in books and media but are not part of Hynek’s original three.
Pop culture angle
- The phrase became widely known thanks to the 1977 Steven Spielberg film Close Encounters of the Third Kind , which follows people whose lives change after UFO experiences.
- The movie’s title directly references Hynek’s CE-3 category and helped push the term into everyday language as shorthand for “seeing aliens face to face.”
TL;DR: A close encounter of the third kind is a UFO sighting at close range where a witness also sees a being believed to be an occupant of the craft, a concept formalized by J. Allen Hynek and popularized by Spielberg’s 1977 film.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.