NUFORC Sighting 27503

Occurred: 2002-01-09 22:45 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2003-02-03 14:22 Pacific
Duration: 3 minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Duncan (Canada), BC, Canada

Shape: Orb

Object in high orbit that looked like a satelite, yet was able to make tight turns and abrupt stops before vanishing

One evening I was outside having a cigarette and looking up at the night sky, trying to spot a satalite in orbit. After a few minutes I caught the familiar sight of a satalite, looking just like a normal star with the exception that this was moving. It seemed like any other satalite I've ever seen. It was moving at a typical speed, it's color was solid white and it was moving straight line in a south easterly direction. After watching it for about 30 seconds it began to cross through the constellation of Orion. It was approaching Orion's belt and should have passed just above it, but not through it. As it passed above the third star in the belt it began to change course and slow down. It made a clean 180 degree arc through the belt and actually stopped just under the center star in the belt. I thought my eyes were playing tricks with me. Then it began to move again, this time in a straight line to the north. After about 5 seconds it slowed and stopped again. I was in total disbelief of what I was seeing. It started to move again, this time slowly arcing from a westward heading to an easterly heading before stopping. Once more it began to move, only this time very slowly in a straight line going south. Then it stopped once more. After a few seconds it seemed to get brighter before it just vanished.

I have told this story to a few people who all tell me it was just a satelite, but this was no satelite. Though I may not know lots about satelite design and propulsion I can tell you this. No satelite can make such extreem changes in it's heading. It is impossible. Though some can change heading it is only minor changes, not tight arcs and course reversals. It is also impossible for a satelite to stop dead in it's tracks. There are two reasons for this. First, it needs to maintain a minimum of about 18,000 MPH to stay in orbit, otherwise it will fall back to Earth. Second, the "g" forces that were inflicted on this craft are enormous. To go from about 18,000 MPH to a dead stop in seconds would flatten our fragile satelites and liquify any astronauts if it were piloted by a human. Though I can't say it was not of this earth, it did break all the rules that govern it. Whatever it was or was not, I found it beautiful to watch!

NUFORC Note:

Date is approximate. PD

Posted 2003-02-05