NUFORC UFO Sighting 181173

Occurred: 2024-04-12 20:30 Local
Reported: 2024-04-15 20:34 Pacific
Duration: ~10 seconds each, 4 times
No of observers: 30

Location: Indio, CA, USA
Location details: On top of a man-made observation hill called “Kanye Hill”

Shape: Oval
Color: Gray
Estimated Size: I don’t know
Viewed From: Land
Direction from Viewer: East to west
Angle of Elevation: 90
Closest Distance: 200 feet?
Estimated Speed: 30 mph
Characteristics: Aircraft nearby

On a stargazing trip with 3 NASA scientists, a cluster of objects repeatedly flew overhead.

Two close friends and I joined a stargazing trip led by NASA scientist Gary Blackwood. He was using a high powered green laser pointer to give us a tour of the constellations. Suddenly, a group of gray ovals passed directly through it, lighting a couple of them up briefly as green. Their formation was loose and looked like a check-mark; it wasn’t entirely clear at first that they weren’t just a rogue arch of balloons. It was hard to see how many there were but I’d estimate 7-10. When asked, Gary commented that it was either balloons or a UFO. I watched as it flew from east to west at wind-speed towards the moon until it disappeared. Just before it did, however, one in the center flashed a quick white light, like a star.

Kimberly Miner, a fellow NASA scientist observing from a picnic blanket on the ground, began to excitedly talk to fellow scientist Carmen Blackwood, who shared the blanket with her — she was convinced what we just saw was anomalous. I approached her and mentioned the flash and we discussed what we saw. That’s when they passed over again in the exact same flight path. This time, it appeared as though there were 7 or 9 moving twice as fast and in a perfect v-shape/triangle. I can’t explain why but I had the distinct feeling they were trying to prove they weren’t just balooons. As it got closer to overhead, they became one line. Once again, they were caught by lazor pointer briefly. Kimberly also saw these, saying she’d never seen anything like it.

A few minutes later, they returned to fly the same flight path—east to west—in a new formation - 8-10 orbs in a symmetrical cluster, VERY clear and just a little bit closer this time. So clear, that when Gary suggested it was drones, Kimberly corrected him, “That’s a UFO, Gary!” This began a discussion of what everyone else saw and the reasons these were clearly not drones.

5 minutes later, it appeared in its 4th and final formation; just 2 objects appeared flying down the same path, weaving slightly closer and farther apart as they did - it almost felt playful. Only a handful of people, myself being one of them, were still looking and saw this.

An onsite photographer attempted to capture them on video but it was too dark; nothing showed up in playback.

Posted 2024-04-27