NUFORC UFO Sighting 181846

Occurred: 2024-06-10 21:00 Local
Reported: 2024-06-12 12:32 Pacific
Duration: 30 minutes
No of observers: 10 - Military

Location: Ocala, FL, USA
Location details: Unable to precisely identify the distance to the object from the point of observation.

Shape: Changing
Color: Bright glowing white
Estimated Size: 150 feet
Viewed From: Land
Direction from Viewer: South West
Angle of Elevation: 10
Closest Distance: Estimating 1-2 miles
Estimated Speed: 100-150 mph
Characteristics: Aura or haze around object, Aircraft nearby

Group observed a helicopter circling a lighted object for several minutes. Object changed shape and departed rapidly to the east.

The Monday Driveway Gang here at Del Webb Stone Creek in Ocala noticed a Helicopter circling south of us in the area of the On Top Of The World community. This was around 9 pm. There was another white light I didn't initially pay much attention to but wife Rachel and a couple others commented that it was triangular in shape and seemed to be pretty much sitting still. I finally got my phone out and zoomed in to see what I could make out. There are limits on night time resolution with smart phone cameras but it was better than nothing.

Initially it sort of looked like a hot air balloon with a gondola beneath it but the balloon part was distorted a bit. Again, based on guesses of the distance I would say it was about 1000 feet up with a background of storm clouds in the far distance. I'll draw some pictures later. The whole object was glowing bright white as if it had a bunch of search lights aimed at it from all directions. No navigation lights were visible as would be on a normal aircraft. It was very hard to gage how big it was, with nothing to reference it against, but I would guess it was the size of a medium airliner. That is more on feel than anything definite. It hung around for several minutes with the helicopter going around it then suddenly it changed into a football shape, still glowing bright white with what looked like 4 or 5 large windows down the side along the midline, and rapidly left the area to the East.

I totally forgot to take pictures as I was studying it so intensely. I went inside my house and 10 or 15 minutes later heard a jet, with what sounded like afterburner engaged, go overhead. I rushed outside just as it disappeared to the south. It was too dark to make out what kind of aircraft it was beyond swept wing jet with its red and green nav lights on. If I had to guess I would say F-16. I don't know if any of those are in the area or where it would have come from.

I spent two careers working with all kinds of military and civilian aircraft. I also have watched many rocket launches and satellites going overhead. I've studied the stars and planets. I haven't seen swamp gas yet. With all that I have never seen anything like this before. I've been checking Google to see if anybody else is reporting it. So far no luck. I think I'll call the Sheriff and the Airport to see if they have heard anything they will admit to.

Very exciting to see my first up close UFO.

I might have seen one back in the 70s but I now think I just saw a satellite on a northbound polar orbit catching the light off the sunset. It was moving way too fast for an aircraft and shown silver. Since I've now observed a couple Starlink "trains" I'm pretty sure that one was a satellite catching the sun just right.

Posted 2024-06-21