NUFORC Sighting 179958

Occurred: 2024-01-07 18:12 Local
Reported: 2024-01-07 21:28 Pacific
Duration: 3 minutes
No of observers: 1 - Military

Location: Sherwood, AR, USA
Location details: Viewed from Litle Rock AFB Control Tower, looking west

Shape: Unknown
Color: bright white light
Estimated Size: unknown
Viewed From: Land
Direction from Viewer: The object was west of my position.
Angle of Elevation: 21
Closest Distance: 10 miles
Estimated Speed: 500 knots
Explanation: Rocket - Certain
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aura or haze around object, Left a trail, Aircraft nearby

Viewed from Little Rock AFB control tower, looking West. Several pilots were talking on emergency frequency about the object.

I was alone at work in the air traffic control tower when I heard a pilot ask over the emergency frequency about a bright object. Another pilot responded it was a rocket. I spotted it to the west of my position, a bright white light, maybe 10 miles away. It was moving slowly southbound. I checked our radar and saw no indication of an aircraft in that position. It appeared at one point to "spit" out a cloud in front of it, shaped like a smoke ring moving through the air, with the light following it. The pilots were continuing to talk about it on emergency frequency. After about 3 minutes, it appeared to just fade away. Someone on emergency frequency said it exploded, but I did not see an explosion. I have a pretty clear video of it, that amazed my co-worker when I showed it to him.

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