Mysterious black ring appears in the sky over Virginia

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (WAVY) — A mysterious black ring appeared in the sky over southeastern Virginia on Tuesday.

Nexstar's WAVY started receiving messages shortly after 11 a.m. as viewers of reached out with images and video of the ominous looking ring floating in the sky.

Ron Stepp, who sent in video, said he was working in the vicinity of Eastern State Hospital in Williamsburg when it appeared overhead. He described it a huge smoke ring and said it disappeared after about 10 minutes.

Another person in the area of Old Mooretown Road stopped to snap some photos of it.

WAVY viewer Peggy Olszyk sent in a photo that she took around 11 a.m. Tuesday in Williamsburg, and another viewer sent a photo of the ring taken on Interstate 64 westbound in the area of the Fort Eustis exit.

Renee Fisher snapped a pair of photos (seen below) of the black ring in the sky in the Waller Mill area of Williamsburg.

Articles and social media posts describing similar sightings in other regions pointed to a fire or some type of explosion that likely created the ring.

WAVY reached out to the James City County Fire Department to ask if there were any reports around the time the Williamsburg circle was reported. The fire chief hadn't heard of any.

WAVY has reached out to other authorities in the region and has yet to hear of any possible sources.