<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A US couple sighted a bright light in the sky as they were driving home from a holiday on </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/today-in-history" rel="" target="" title="September 19, 1961"><span>September 19, 1961</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Following the light down a quiet and isolated road, Barney and Betty Hill recounted an odd-shaped craft hovering above them.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Hills fled after seeing humanoid figures in black uniforms approaching them.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They arrived back at their home hours later than expected feeling strange, with significant gaps in their memories.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/terry-phillips-jailed-for-assaulting-former-partner-spending-rest-of-sentence-in-queensland/bcd2843d-cb6e-4ab2-9a51-f4ef58769f79"><strong><span>Domestic violence survivor calls for her abuser to be deported</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mrs Hill insisted on leaving their luggage near the back door and Mr Hill felt compelled to examine his genitals. His shoes were scraped, his binoculars strap was torn and both their watches were broken. Mrs Hill's dress was torn and there was a pink powder on it.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Though they could not remember the details, the two believed they had an intrusive extra-terrestrial encounter they could not remember.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/today-in-history-september-19-ufo-encounter-what-happened-on-this-day/d9746ea6-ca9c-40b3-8cc3-3377dcc6f97a" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The pair were later hypnotised by a psychiatrist, and both recounted details that were consistent with each other.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Both Mr and Mrs Hill spoke under hypnosis about being medically examined by human-like but otherworldly figures.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Their psychiatrist was confident the pair were not lying, but believed they were both having a shared delusion or a remarkably similar hallucination.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In the few years after the purported abduction, Mrs Hill described the abductors as short, black-haired men.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But 11 days after the airing of science-fiction show </span><em><span>The Outer Limits</span></em><span>, Mr Hill's description under hypnosis was far more similar to the aliens depicted in the show.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nevertheless, their story captured the imagination of the world when it became widely reported.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/susan-goodwin-remains-found-family-issue-statement/75193473-0e0a-4a83-a3be-4b4ae085d12f"><strong><span>'Incredibly grateful': Family's message after murder charge laid</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Their story inspired a series of science fiction films and became the prototypical example of alien abduction.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mr Hill died in 1969 aged 46.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Mrs Hill lived until 2004, recounting many more UFO encounters during her lifetime.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sceptics have noted Mrs Hill's re-telling of her abduction changed every time she told the story.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/today-in-history" target="" title="For more from our Today in History archive, click here."><strong><span>For more from our Today in History archive, click here</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank" title=""><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. 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