NUFORC Sighting 13859

Occurred: 2000-08-12 22:00 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2000-08-21 00:00 Pacific
Duration: less than 5 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Shape: Oval

A flat gray oval made a 90 degree change in direction in less than 5 seconds.

We live in the country, approximately 6 or 7 miles from town so it's pretty dark out here at night. It was Friday or Saturday, August 11 or 12. Around 10:00 p.m. I went outside and stood in our driveway and watched the sky for Perseid meteors. Unfortunately, the moon was shining in the south sky and then a few puffy clouds came in from the north. However, I was still able to see a few faint meteors and quite a few satellites pass overhead between the patches of clouds. It was nearly 11:00 pm and I was about to give up and go inside. Some clouds started to cover the moon and it got a little darker, so thinking that my chances of seeing some meteors would be better, I decided to wait a little longer. I looked up in the western sky (the big dipper was a little to the right) and saw something move so fast, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. I was more or less facing west and looking up to about 60 to 70 degrees above the horizon. This thing zipped into my line of sight in a straight line from the right (north) to almost directly overhead. It made an immediate 90-degree change in direction, no delay at all; like a billiard ball bouncing off the side of a pool-table, and then zipped to the east and disappeared in the clouds. The sighting lasted only 2 seconds! It was oval shaped and flat; not shiny, and dark gray. There were no lights or sound. It was nearly the same color as the dark gray clouds against the black sky. I think it was above the clouds. And it was huge. It was the size of my thumbnail held at arm's length! I didn't see it approach from the horizon. It just came out of nowhere all of a sudden and then disappeared. I

Posted 2000-08-25