sighting

Sighting is the act of perceiving or observing something that stands out or is noteworthy. It can refer to the event of visually locating a person, object, phenomenon, or living creature, or to the moment at which such a perception occurs. The term is widely used across disciplines and contexts, and may function as a noun or, less commonly, in the phrase to sight.

In wildlife and nature, a sighting records the appearance of a species in a particular location and time, helping researchers track ranges, migration, and abundance. In astronomy and meteorology, sightings document celestial events or atmospheric phenomena observed by observers, often contributing to historical records or professional data sets. In popular culture, sightings of unidentified objects, cryptids, or ghosts are reported by enthusiasts and investigated with varying degrees of rigor; such reports are typically anecdotal and subject to verification challenges.

In firearms terminology, sighting refers to the process of aligning the weapon’s sighting apparatus with the point of aim, commonly described as sighting in a rifle or pistol to ensure accuracy.

Documentation often accompanies sightings, including date, time, location, conditions, description, and supporting evidence like photographs or video. The reliability of a sighting depends on observer expertise, environmental factors, and evidence quality, and many sightings are later explained as misperceptions or misidentifications.