NUFORC Sighting 04238

Occurred: 1998-07-12 21:45 Local
Reported: 1998-07-13 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 20sec.
No of observers: 2

Location: Salisbury (E Ridge Rd.), NC, USA

Shape: Fireball
Characteristics: Aura or haze around object

Bright self illuminated object traveling SE to NW Changed direction at least twice at very high speed and at very sharp angles say at least

My Mother and I were outside, when we witnessed a strange meteor like object shoot between us from the SW. It went up towards the NW around a tree in the yard suddenly changed directions and headed S. That is when I ran around the tree and out into the road to see where it went, Mom yelled out that it was coming at her and I went back over to where she sat (on the steps) it reappeared only once more a brief second later when it just seemed to be on the other side of the tree but still somehow in the clouds.It looked like a glowing sphere then, where at first it looked more like a meteor. The weather conditions were as follows; warm,humid,hazy low cloud cover almost foggy.Yet there were several stars visible( I remember the three stars in the big dipper and Actarus being visible) I have been an amateur astronomer for 20+ years and you can rule out any kind of meteor or bolide. But I still got a wierd feeling like it was real close at first, and not up in the air. It appeared white/yellow

Posted 2001-08-05