NUFORC Sighting 10178

Occurred: 1999-10-10 11:00 Local
Reported: 1999-10-11 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 1 hour
No of observers: 2

Location: San Diego, CA, USA

Shape: Fireball


At 10:45 in the morning, my father and I noticed a small stationary object in the sky.

I currently reside in Mira Mesa, which is located about 10 miles north of downtown San Diego. The house was getting warm so my father and I went out into the back-yard to sit in the shade. My chair was facing northwest while my father was facing notheast. As we talked, my father mentioned that he was watching an object in the sky that was apparently not moving. Getting curious, I shifted my chair and after a little searching located the object. I estimate the object's position to be northeast and about 45 degrees above the horizon. The sky was clear and bright with the point of light, looking to be a few miles away. I noted the time (10:45)and after a few minutes my father again remarked that the object still hadn't moved. I relocated the object, using the peak of a neighbor's rooftop as a reference point. Indeed, the object was still there and I went inside to get my 7X50 binoculars. Using the same reference point, I relocated the object. Bringing the binoculars into focus, revealed the small object to have an oval shape and glowing a bright orange. It was now a few minutes after 11:00 and the object had still not noticibly moved. I watched the object through the binoculars for a few more minutes and saw that featureless orange glow was not varying in brightness. Asking my father to keep an eye on the object, I went inside to get some stronger optics. After a few minutes, I came outside with video camera that has a 50X digital zoom. Unfortunately, without a tripod the camera shook too much to be of any use. The time was by then 11:30 and while continuing to watch the object through my 7X50's, I noticed that it began moving slowly away. The object's heading was due east and in only a couple of minutes, it was gone from sight. At no time during this sighting, did either myself or my father notice any sign of a contrail. I must note that my house is located less than two miles from the U.S.Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar. I have seen and heard all manner of aircraft over the years and this object really made an impression me. Because the object was apparently quite far away and high in the sky, I hope that there were other witnesses to this event.

Posted 1999-10-19

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