NUFORC Sighting 20966

Occurred: 2001-12-20 19:30 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2002-01-02 13:45 Pacific
Duration: approx. 10 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Goodlettsville, TN, USA

Shape: Fireball
Characteristics: Lights on object, Left a trail, Changed Colo

slowly arching light brightens into flame then trails into oblivion

my wife and i were returning home from an outing. it was approximately 7:30 p.m. i had gotten my sleepy daughter from the back, passenger side child seat. i love to view the night skies. i was standing in the driveway looking upward, as i usually do when arriving back home at night. i noticed that from the west, from up over the roof from the back side of our home, a very brilliant fireball/reddish looking light. i at first thought it may have been a satellite because of the slower-than-a-falling-star motion and the way it arched across the sky. i commented out loud as to how unusual that was. (my wife doesn't get into that kind of stuff like i do) i watched it trail almost directly overhead in an easterly direction then slightly bank. it still continued in an easterly direction but the color changed to a very brilliant red and seemed to either be on fire or reflecting the sun, considering it's apparent altitude. i have studied aircraft for years and had even started pilot training several years ago. (ran out of money) i would judge the altitude to be something upwards of 50,000 ft. it initially appeared to be a satellite. i watched it seem to leave a 'dust' trail as it slowly seemed to burn up. perhaps it could have been a deliberate attempt to destroy some 'space junk'. i'm not sure. i thought that it would be unusual to 'destroy' a satellite in that manner, though probably not completely out of the question. the entire viewing pleasure lasted approximately 7-15 seconds. who knows. perhaps there were more sets of eyes that had the privilege of seeing the abnormality, as well.

Posted 2002-01-11

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