NUFORC Sighting 42868

Occurred: 2005-03-10 20:10 Local
Reported: 2005-03-10 20:25 Pacific
Duration: 1 minute
No of observers: 1

Location: Latham, NY, USA

Shape: Diamond
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aircraft nearby

Large Black Diamond with a dim orange light at each corner moving steadily north up the Hudson Valley at about 3000 ft altitude

I am a 43 year old lawyer with excellent eyesight.

I was standing outside of my vehicle on an unlit area of a local steet in Latham New York. The location is near Latham Circle, and between Route 9 and interstate 87. The time was almost exactly 8:10 PM, as I was just about to attend an 8:15 meeting.

There is a fair amount of light pollution in the area, but the night was very clear and I had good visibility of the stars. For example, I had full visability of the Big Dipper. I am an avid sky watcher, and am accustomed to observing airplane traffic.

I was facing approximately East NorthEast. From my position, I was facing in the direction of the Hudson river, which was about 4 miles to the east, but out of my line of sight. Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement above and I looked up.

At an approximate altitude of between 2,000 and 4,000 feet, I saw a black diamond shape lit at each corner with a dim orange light. Specifically, one each of these four dim lights marked each point of the diamond. I will call these lights "corner lights." The lkights did not blink or flash.

The vehicle blocked the stars behind it as it passed with absolute silence, as best I could hear. Bear in mind that the area was fairly noise polluted. I was lucky to see it, as the entire presentation, while flatly unmistakable, was quite subtle. Neverheless, it was HUGE. I would say that it was a couple of hundred yards long and a hundred yards wide.

It was gliding to the North at a constant speed (probably about 100 MPH), and I believe that it was roughly following the Hudson river.

This next part is very interesting. There was a fifth, and possibly sixth light of the same size and color weaving between two of the leading corner lights. This more rapidly moving light spun apparently random circles and figure eights around the leading (northern) corner light and the around the western corner light. I have never seen anything manmade move with such speed and maneuverability in the sky as did this fifth light. All of the lights moved ahead together as a unified group, notwithstanding that there was internal movement within the group.

As I watched, and as the vehicle drew away from my position, all of the lights drew together into a tighter cluster, and then a very tight cluster, and eventually a single point of light that I lost among the stars and the light pollution.

This pulling together of the lights was not merely a function of increasing distance from my vantage point. I happened more quicly than that. A truly amazing, and awe inspiring experience. Please feel free to e-mail me if you would like further information.

Posted 2005-05-11

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