We've all been the only witness to something happening at one point. But most of these times are so insignificant or common, we don't even realize it. A leaf falling from that specific tree, water running down your windshield, your kitten doing a flip midair in your living room. While it's beautiful and interesting, our brain just doesn't bother to give it any significance.
On the other end of the spectrum are the things all people would recognize as next to impossible to see with your own eyes. Reddit user just__Steve asked people if they've ever seen anything they instantly realized was extremely rare. While they might not have been the only people witnessing the events, they sure were entranced by what was happening before their eyes.
From celestial events to a mama whale and her calf swimming in to say hi in the middle of the ocean, users shared truly captivating things they were lucky to be observers of. Bored Panda selected the most interesting accounts of things that most of us will probably never get to see in real life. But that's what makes them rare, and for some stories, we'd like it to stay that way.
Bored Panda also reached out to Bob King (AstroBob) to learn more about the fascinating rare things we can see in the sky, so scroll down for that interview below!
#21
I saw someone take off their cap and stamp on it like they do in cartoons
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92points
#22
My older cousin was teaching me and my younger cousin how to play poker. My younger cousin had four out of five cards for a royal straight flush. My older cousin told him not to draw more cards because the chances of getting a royal straight flush was pretty much impossible and was imploring him not to do it. My younger cousin did it anyways and got a f*****g royal straight flush!
We all lost our minds and laugh about it 15 years later as adults.
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88points
#23
Actually saw a tree fall in the forest onto the trail ahead of us as we were hiking in a national park.
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87points
#25
Well, several years ago there were some solar flares hitting earth. I live in southern Maine. It was dark,and my husband drove up and told me to go outside. We lay in the grass and watched a tremendously beautiful light show in the sky. It was like being on acid, which we were not. The sky was just split into beautiful patterns in pink. I have seen the aurora borealis, and this was it on steroids. Absolutely stunning. Wish we had videoed it, but cellphones did not have good cameras. Our neighbor was outside as well.
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83points
#26
I saw a fish fall out of the sky during a particularly rainy day. Hit the ground and got swept into the gutter.
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80points
#27
Halley's comet in 1986. Lots of people saw it.. But it is still rare. 11 year old me took a tent and camped out by a local dam with friends. Clear night and got a great look at it.
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80points
#28
Saw a manta ray leap out of the water and over a family playing in the water just off the coast of South Carolina. It didn’t make a sound or as much as a splash. I was pretty young but remember it as clear as yesterday. One of the most beautiful things I have ever witnessed. Also quite amazing how big those things are.
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77points
#29
On vacation with my parents in 1969 we saw the water flow at the American side of Niagara Falls stopped. Bone dry.and with boulders bigger than houses.
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75points
#30
Red lightning, it's rare to see from the ground since it usually goes up from the top of the storm and even then it only makes up 1/100 bolts.
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68points