NUFORC Sighting 34300

Occurred: 2004-01-03 18:30 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2004-01-04 20:27 Pacific
Duration: 2 seconds
No of observers: 0

Location: Lake Tahoe, NV, USA

Shape: Circle

Large bright white circular object travelling in a straight line at a low angle to the horizon which emitted a pendant shaped gas emiss

I really don't know what I saw. However it appeared moving at a fairly rapid speed at a low angle along the horizon (the horizon in this case was a mountain ridge behind my home), the size of the object must have been substantial, it was 3/4 mile away or more, was a very bright white and easily visible. About half way through the observation where was a pendant shaped irredescent (light red to blue) expulsion from the object (like a trail or gas explosion) which only lasted a moment, while the object continued on as it had originally appeared then disappeared behind the ridge.

It was flying in a straight line at a low angle to the horizon. My initial thought was space junk or a fireball (bolide) but the size of it (or it may have been highly heated and just looked big?)didn't seem consistent. If it was that big there would have been an explosion or hit someplace?? Anyway the strangest thing I have ever seen in the sky. I have a masters degree in the physical/earth sciences. I have talked to a relative in the Air Force who launches satellites about space junk as a possibility--he says it wasn't junk. E

NUFORC Note:

Date is approximate, although we cannot understand how that can be. The witness submitted the report on January 4th, and apparently could not remember that the event had occurred on the night before. PD

Posted 2004-01-17