NUFORC Sighting 64972

Occurred: 2008-08-02 21:30 Local
Reported: 2008-08-03 08:24 Pacific
Duration: 1 minute approx.
No of observers: 1

Location: Riverside, CA, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Lights on object

Bright flash followed by glowing, blinking object

On 08/02/2008 about 2130 I was sitting on my back porch, looking at the sky. My attention was drawn by a very bright flash, like a photographic flash, to the southwest. When the flash dissipated, there was a glowing white object in the spot where the flash originated. The object looked like a large satellite, blinking on and off in an irregular pattern glowing brightly for about a second then dimming to complete darkness for one to several seconds. My first impression was that it was some type of satellite which was rotating and reflecting the sun, but I would imagine that the pattern of flashes would be at a more consistent interval. The object continued flashing on and off for about a minute. By connecting the locations where the object was glowing, it made a shallow ‘S’ shaped path, finally disappearing to the northwest. I checked the Heavens Above site for iridium flares and other objects which would account for this sighting, but I could not find anything for that time frame and location in the sky.

Posted 2008-08-12