NUFORC Sighting 51411

Occurred: 2006-07-12 05:00 Local
Reported: 2006-07-17 23:06 Pacific
Duration: 1.5 hours
No of observers: 3

Location: Silver City, NM, USA

Shape: Changing
Characteristics: Left a trail, Emitted other objects

Unusual cloudlike formation with extending tendrils seen over Silver City, New Mexico

Report of Unusual Aerial Phenomenon Wednesday, July 12, 2006 Silver City, New Mexico As seen from near downtown Silver City.

Around 5:00 A.M. saw from a north facing window, just overhead, at an angle 60 to 70 degrees to the horizon, and 30 degree east of due north, two bright, unusual cloud-like objects. The sky was clear. The larger object had a central section that was clearly glowing with rainbow colors. Long curlicues extended outward, mostly to the east. These crisscrossed repeatedly. Both objects gradually expanded, the curlicues especially extending over a large distance. Though the edges of the curlicues softened slightly over the next half hour, they maintained their distinctiveness, spreading to cover a vast portion of sky. The smaller object dissipated into a more cloud-like form, while the larger maintained its shape for a much longer time. Both objects were nearly stationary for several minutes, then began a gradual motion to the northeast, as though driven by the wind. Throughout all this time the ends of the curlicues appeared to be extending in length, creating sinuous patterns. The overall impression was of a "chemical bomb" slowly expanding and changing. Just after sunrise, around 6:20, the objects had almost completely dissipated, and were now far to the northeast, but could still be faintly seen covering almost the whole of the northern horizon, having expanded from a very tight center just over or to the north of Silver City to include the whole visible extent of the Gila Wilderness area. Note: the next day the news was full of reports that what observers had seen was the result of a successful antiballistic missile test over the White Sands testing area. However, White Sands is east of Silver City, and this phenomenon looked to be more to the north, over the Gila Wilderness area. Photos of this event were taken by the observers and others. Photos appearing in various news media match in appearance those taken by the observers,

Posted 2006-10-30