NUFORC Sighting 66003

Occurred: 2008-09-22 00:10 Local
Reported: 2008-10-01 11:28 Pacific
Duration: 10 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Bradenton, FL, USA

Shape: Other
Characteristics: Aura or haze around object

Dim object going north to south, not lighted, no lights or sound.

Note: This will amend my first report. I said 50 degrees, it should be 150 degrees.

Slightly after midnight, Sept, 22. I saw a whitish shape emerge from the skyglow to the north, simular to the artist rendering in graphic-1. It was the size of a silver dollar at arms length. My first thought was, "that's a very big bird!". In a matter of seconds it was overhead and I realized it wasn't flapping or moving as a bird would, just a steady movement to the south. Graphic-2 depicts what it looked liked overhead. When it was overhead it was much dimmer and had no lights or sound whatsoever. There was some kind of disturbance or disturbed air in a short wake to the rear. It took 10 seconds to go from the skyglow to the north and disappearing in the skyglow to the south, about 50 degrees.

I realized that if this was a bird at low level it would have passed to the east at just above roof top level, assuming 500 to 1000 foot altitude. This would be 30 to 60 mph, and with no flapping movement - not a bird. If it was a plane high enough so as not to be heard then it was flying without lights and would have been MASSIVE in size.

Simply, I'm stumped!

Posted 2008-10-31