NUFORC Sighting 145314

Occurred: 2018-03-25 21:20 Local
Reported: 2019-03-25 22:00 Pacific
Duration: 5 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Visalia, CA, USA

Shape: Fireball


My wife and I observed an orange colored illuminated "object" moving from southwest to the east in the night sky.

My wife and I observed an orange colored illuminated "object" moving from southwest to the east in the night sky. The object did not produce any audible sound, like rotors, engines, drone hum, or jet roar. The object moved relatively slowly, not unlike a high flying aircraft. However, no red or green blinking lines or tail lights could be observed. Most oddly, the object would flare brightly and then seem to snuff out, like a dying ember, only to flair bright orange again.

There was no pattern or rhythm to the flaring or diminishing of the light and no color change was observed. It remained a steady orange color. My wife described it as "on fire" and I would not disagree.

I have studied astronomy all my life in Scouts, college courses, and as an astronomy enthusiast volunteering in our National Park. I have spent a great deal of time in the wilderness backpacking and such, watching the night sky from remote places. I have seen Iridium flares and regularly watch the ISS and other objects in the night sky, thanks to smartphone apps. I have seen drones, shooting stars (including big ones) and watched meteor showers. I have watched rocket launches from Vandenburg AFB in the night sky. This was something new to me and something outside of anything easily explanable based on my experience.

The object was observed from my side patio where we were eating dinner, then we moved to the backyard to watch it further until it faded somewhere over the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Posted 2019-03-29

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