NUFORC Sighting 58812

Occurred: 2007-09-14 22:20 Local
Reported: 2007-09-18 20:40 Pacific
Duration: 7 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: San Francisco, CA, USA

Shape: Triangle
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aircraft nearby

Triangle of lights flies over San Francisco

I was on 3rd Ave between Clement and California St. in the Richmond District of San Francisco when I saw three lights overhead in a nearly equilateral triangle formation traveling west rapidly without making a sound. The lights were of equal brightness. They were not as bright as the lights of an airplane and were approximately the color and brightness of bright stars. If I remember correctly, they were white with a slightly blue tint.

The lights traveled over the city from slightly north of my position to directly west of my position. At its closest, the triangle appeared to be twice the size of a full moon. It took approximately seven seconds for the triangle to travel into the distance when I lost sight of it near the tops of the houses on the west side of the avenue. (I was standing on the sidewalk of the east side of the avenue.) The triangle appeared to tilt slightly as it traveled into the distance.

There were two airplanes in the area at the time. One was to the southwest and one was to the northwest. Their lights were considerably brighter and one airplane was loud. They crossed the sky at a much slower pace and with noise.

After I lost sight of the unusual lights, I wondered if they had slightly changed formation near the end of my sighting or if the appearance of such a change was the result of the change in my perspective.

Posted 2007-10-08