NUFORC Sighting 22393

Occurred: 2002-03-17 22:00 Local
Reported: 2002-03-30 21:07 Pacific
Duration: 10 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: San Jose, CA, USA

Shape: Flash
Characteristics: Left a trail

Very low, very long, metor-like flash across sky

I was driving alone on 101 N at approximately 10:00 PM (had left Castroville shortly after 9:00 PM). Having just crossed San Jose city limits to the South (the area that is still undeveloped, just hills and fields along the 101), I saw a flash in the sky that caught my attention, proceeding from the West (to the left of the highway) to the east (to the right of the highway) ahead of me. It was like a shooting star, but much longer and lower than other meteros I have seen, which generally flash for a second high in the sky and then are gone. This one seemed low, like a plane approaching landing, and lasted maybe 10 seconds total, leaving a luminous trail as it went (again, like a shooting star, but lasting much longer). It was gone without any sound, or explosion. I found myself cringing as it passed, it had seemed so low I thought it might hit the hills near the freeway.

Posted 2002-04-08