NUFORC Sighting 16136

Occurred: 2001-02-01 20:00 Local
Reported: 2001-02-01 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 15 Minutes
No of observers: 3

Location: Amsterdam, MO, USA

Shape: Formation


Bright light coming from Southeast to Northwest, then returning partway and dissappearing, anyone else seen this tonight?

My wife and myself, along with a potential landlord, were inspecting a house and 40 some odd acres in northern to mid Bates county in Missouri. After inspecting the house we walked the fenceline around the acreage and inspected the fence.

After stopping for a short rest we continued on and back towards the house. By that time it was dark and once we returned to the house we signed papers with the landlord and he went on home.

Living in the city at this time we decided to stay for a bit to look at the stars and the milky way. It was getting cold so we were preparing to leave. I got into the car to warm it up and my wife came around and waited for me to unlock her door.

Before she climbed in she looked up towards the sky again to take in the view and she called my name. I told her to hurry up and get in the car I was cold she asked if that was the ISS... I got out and looked for the light crossing the sky and she pointed me towards the southeast horizon. I thought to myself wow, finally I get to see it. I caught the light in my vision and watched its ascent overhead.

As the point of light ran across the sky we had to turn and look back the other direction, towards the northwest. As it streaked towards the northwest it stopped just above that horizon.

Originally we believed we had just lost the object to our vision and we were now staring at a star or something we decided to head back home.

My wife climbed back into the car, and I adjusted my Ham radio antenna from 40 to 75 meters. I turned back one more time and looked. To my suprise that 'star' was moving back in the other direction. Back towards the South-South East.

I yelled at my wife to come take a look. I didn't think the space station could manuever that way. The light or object stopped at 30 degrees from our position in the sky. We sat and watched it for about 5 more minutes and the light disappeared. We climbed back in the car and talked about it abit. We thought about what it might be, maybe an airplane or helicopter but it was too far out and moved too fast to be either of those. And I know of no helicopter that can travel at that altitude or speed.

The thing that appeared odd to me was the fact that it turned back and came about a third distance back across the sky and stopped. No space station or satellite I know of can do that.

I wanted to submit this in case someone else had seen the same thing, and maybe get to ask some questions or see if any radar had captured this.

Posted 2001-02-18

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