NUFORC Sighting 09405

Occurred: 1999-09-01 21:40 Local
Reported: 1999-09-02 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 25 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Donner Summit (15 miles West of; Interstate 80), CA, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Lights on object, Left a trail

Driving West on I-80 about 10 miles West of Donner Summit; saw red light formation approaching from Northwest to Southeast. As it came closer; I could distinguish 5-7 main objects; followed by long, dense cloud of "sparklers". All colors red.

Hi Peter--I talked with you on the phone in May about an object over the Sierras in Eastern California. Saw something again tonite--was not Venus or swamp gas; but I suppose it may have been highly unusual meteor breaking up or space junk re-entering. Was driving westbound on I-80 earlier tonite; on the way back from Lake Tahoe; where I do field studies in hydrology. About 15 miles West of Donner Summit, at about 9:40 PM; I noticed what I thought was an unusual red airplane light directly in front of me; moving from Northwest to Southeast. I kept one eye on it (the other on the road, as I was driving on the highway at 60mph), and I was able to distinguish 5-7 distinct large red lights (of various relative sizes) all moving together at about the same constant velocity (speed and direction). Following and centered behind the leading and largest red light was a long, broad, dense shower of reddish "sparks" or "sparklers"--very dramatic and beautiful! I quickly pulled off an exit to watch it as it moved overhead to the East; but lost sight of it behind a steep hill (or mountain) directly in front of the object. I had very good viewing conditions; as I was at about 5000-6000 foot elevation in the Sierras, and had a clean ! windshield. Wish I wasn't driving; so I could have gotton my binoculars!

Posted 1999-09-12