NUFORC Sighting 04869

Occurred: 1998-11-16 02:30 Local
Reported: 1998-11-17 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 5 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Austin (Round Rock), TX, USA

Shape: Triangle

Triangular object w/three hemi-spherical 'projections' from the bottom, travelling N-S reflecting pink glow of city lights.

I was watching the Leonids meteor shower of 11/16/98, approximately 2:30 AM +/- five minutes. As I watched one meteor directly overhead, the meteor trail crossed the path of the object. The object appeared to be triangular in shape, with three hemi-spherical projections from the bottom. Imagine three silver ballons with their stems tied together. It was about the size of ones thumbnail if held at arms length, or the distance between any two of the three stars that make up Orion's belt. It's leading edge and the leading portions of the projections seemed to be reflecting the pinkish color of a nearby streetlight, or possibly the glow from Austin, but it did not seem to be creating any other light of its own. The wind was a dead calm and it made no sound. It was moving extrememly fast. I approximated that it would travel from horizon to horizon in about 10-15 seconds. I saw it first when it was almost directly overhead, and watched it for about five seconds before it was obscured by a house. During that time it travelled N-S along a line from Polaris passing roughly between Leo and Orion. I felt it might actually be three silver ballons that someone had let go, or possibly a set of weather balloons, but the object was moving very fast and the wind was a dead calm. I continued to watch until 3:00 AM but saw nothing else except meteors. I am an amateur astronomer with a degree in Physics. I am very skeptical about what I saw, but I have no explanation. I have to count out normal balloons or weather balloons due to the extremely fast movement of the object and the lack of any wind whatsoever. I was very startled to find a similar report in your database dated 10/8/98, also in Austin.

Posted 1998-11-19