NUFORC Sighting 21915

Occurred: 2002-02-16 20:30 Local
Reported: 2002-02-18 12:57 Pacific
Duration: 2hours
No of observers: 2

Location: Bee Branch, AR, USA

Shape: Circle
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aura or haze around object, Changed Colo

SIGHTED A BRIGHT OBJECT DUE SOUTH FROM CENTRAL ARK.AT 8-10 DEG. APPEARED TO ROTATE AND CHANGE COLORS IN SEQ. LIKE SPECTRUM, LASTED 2HR

THE OBJECT IN QUESTION IS MOST LIKELY A WEATHER BALLON, THIS WOULD BE MY GUESS. i KNOW IT IS NOT A CELESTIAL OBJECT, LIKE ANYTHING I HAVE EVER SEEN. THE FOLLOWING IS AN ACCOUNT THOUGH OF WHAT WAS OBSERVED: AT ABOUT 8:00 PM MY BROTHER-IN-LAW AND I WERE ATOP EAST MTN., IN BEE BRANCH, ARKANSAS LOOKING AT THE MOON WITH HIS 10 IN. REFLECTOR SCOPE, WAITING FOR IT TO SET SO OT WOULD BE DARKER. WE WERE LOOKING FOR DEEP SPACE OBJECTS TO ADD TO OUR CATALOG OF OBSERVED BODIES. WHILE ((name deleted/brother-in-law)) WAS LOOKING AT THE ORION NEBULA I USED THE BINOCULARS TO SCAN THE SKY, WHEN I NOTICED A BRIGHT REDDISH STAR DUE SOUTH JUST ABOVE THE HORIZON, AT ABOUT 8-10 DEGREES. THE OBJECT APPEARED TO BE STATIONARY AND SEEMED TO BE WHITE ALTERNATING RED, LIKE IT WAS PULSEING OR ROTATING. AFTER A FEW MINUTES JIM TURNED THE SCOPE ON THE OBJECT AND TO OUR AMAZEMENT IT WAS SHOWING ALL THE COLORS OF THE SPECTRUM, WITH EVEN A GREATER DEGREE OF ROTATION. IT APPEARED TO BE MOVING AT ALMOST THE SAME SPEED AS WITH THE EARTH'S ROTATION, BUT IN A MORE NORTHERLY DIRECTION, THE BEST THAT WE COULD TELL. AFTER ABOUT 30 MIN. I DECIDED TO GO HOME AND CALL THE LITTLE ROCK AIR BASE TO SEE IF IT WAS INDEED A WEATHER BALLOON. THEY GAVE ME THE UFO HOTLINE # SO THAT I COULD REPORT THE SIGHTING. I CALLED AN LEFT A MESSAGE, THEN WENT BACK TO THE MTN. THE OBJECT WAS STILL THERE BUT APPEARED TO BE SLIGHTLY MORE TO THE WEST BUT STILL LOW ON THE SOUTHERN HORIZON. WE STATED LOOKING AT OTHER DEEP SPACE OBJECTS THAT WE HAD INDENTIDIED ON OUR STAR CHARTS TO VIEW THAT NIGHT. CLOSE TO 10;30 WE NOTICED THAT THE OBJECT WAS GONE. WE KNEW IT WAS NO STAR OR OTHER CELESTIAL OBJECT THAT WE HAD EVER SEEN. AND SINCE IT WAS "NEAR" LITTLE ROCK WE ASSUMED IT TO BE A WEATHER BALLOON.

I WOULD JUST LIKE CONFIRMATION ON WHAT IT WAS AND IF ANYONE ELSE SAW IT. WE LEFT OUR VIEWING SPOT AT ABOUT 12:30 WITH NO FURTHER SIGHTINGS.

I TEACH ((subject deleted/technical field) AT ((name deleted)) SCHOOL AND MY E-MAIL ADD IS ((e-address deleted)) . THANKS AND KIND REGARDS, ((deleted)).

NUFORC Note:

We spoke with this witness at length, and we found him to be quite sincere and credible. Also, he identified himself as an amateur astronomer. He did not think that the object was a celestial body, for reasons outlined above. However, we did suggest that he look at the same area of the sky at approximately the same time of night. NUFORC received not other reports from the area on this date. PD

Posted 2002-02-22