NUFORC Sighting 39964

Occurred: 2004-10-24 23:17 Local
Reported: 2004-10-25 21:04 Pacific
Duration: approx. 4-5 seconds
No of observers: 0

Location: Weaverville, NC, USA

Shape: Circle
Characteristics: Left a trail, Changed Colo

I saw a ball of white light plummet at a 45 degree angle, with the white tail displaying bands of color (spectrum) just before impact.

I was traveling north on 19-23 at 11:17 pm on October 24. It was between mile marker 26 and 24. I saw a ball of bright white light plummeting at approximately a 45 degree angle, very fast. The ball was not perfectly defined--it appeared to have motion, whirling, with bright light coming out of it. There was a white tail. The ball of light was about three-quarters to a full size of what would be considered an ordinary full moon. In the instant before the ball disappeared from sight, about a third of the length of the tail (the portion of the tail closest to the ball) displayed colors as in a spectrum, in distinct, separate bands of distinct colors, being of fairly wide breadth. The bands of color were perpendicular to the tail, not lengthwise. And the rest of the tail remained white. I heard no crash, there was no display of light as in an explosion, I heard or felt no rumble or shudder. It was just gone.

NUFORC Note:

Possible meteor. PD

Posted 2004-10-27