NUFORC Sighting 179651

Occurred: 2023-12-07 20:40 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2023-12-08 00:11 Pacific
Duration: 10 min total
No of observers: 1 - Aviation Expert

Location: Fairfax, MO, USA

Shape: Light
Color: Orange
Estimated Size: Unknown
Viewed From: Land
Direction from Viewer: 270
Angle of Elevation: 15
Closest Distance: 30+ miles
Estimated Speed: Unknown
Characteristics: Aircraft nearby

Orange lights seen ascending up from great height

At approximately 8:40pm I saw an orange light at approx 20 degrees elevation at heading due west at 270 degrees. This orange light was as bright as the star Sirius in magnitude. Beneath this orange light another orange light moved from 5 degrees from the left to 5 degrees to the right of the stationary orange light. This orange light was about 5 degrees below this stationary light. Time taken for this light to travel was about 10 seconds and then it faded out. A few seconds later the stationary orange light faded out. Between three and five minutes later I saw another orange light ten degrees off of the horizon rise in a curve to the left approx ten degrees above the horizon and fade out. 90 seconds later starting in the same location another orange light rises again in a concordal curve and fade in the same place as the first. This happened four times total every 90 seconds. From my location at night I can see planes leaving from Omaha and Kansas City. Omaha is north northwest of this location 90 miles away and Kansas City is south east from this location 100 miles away. The only commercial airport in the direction of sighting is Denver but at 600 miles the distance to horizon is too far to see air trafic from there. Weather was clear and 54 degrees.

Posted 2023-12-09