NUFORC Sighting 28678

Occurred: 2003-05-03 16:00 Local
Reported: 2003-05-04 21:33 Pacific
Duration: 5 min
No of observers: 1

Location: Palm Springs, CA, USA

Shape: Orb
Characteristics: Aircraft nearby

Multiple sightings of groups of small reflective silver spheres.

This is the third time I have seen these objects. I live in Palm Springs near the airport. Last summer while out for an afternoon walk, I glanced at the sky and saw a group of at least 50 silver spheres slowly moving across the valley from the southeast toward the northwest. At first I thought they were birds but they were spread out in strings and groupings. Some would break away and then circle back. I watched until I could no longer see them and decided they must be mylar balloons that had broken loose and were floating on the air current. Two weeks ago at work near College of the Desert, I looked up and saw the same objects - maybe 20 or 30 traveling in the same direction as before. I watched as they slowly moved across the sky and observed that some seemed to be tethered together in a line which would make a circle and then open up again. They were all in a group but very stretched out. Today while getting my mail, I looked up and saw them again. At first only one, then briefly a very small group clustered together. This group turned in unison, flashed in the sun, and disappeared. Birds, I thought. Just then a commercial jet which had just taken off proceeded from west to east. A single small, very silver orb paced the plane at exactly the same speed at what seemed to be 100 yards distance from the right wing. Definitely not a bird. I watched as it paced the plane for approximately one minute. The plane headed northeast and the sphere then went east and I lost it. I looked again before entering my house and spotted it due east about 30 degrees above the horizon. It was still and looked like a bright star. I watched it for another minute and then went inside. I am curious as to what is going on.

Posted 2003-05-09