NUFORC Sighting 31639

Occurred: 2003-09-19 12:30 Local
Reported: 2003-09-20 03:20 Pacific
Duration: 1-2 minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Rancho Cordova, CA, USA

Shape: Circle
Characteristics: Lights on object

Red-orange ball of light over the skies of Sacramento, CA.

I work security on the graveyard shift where I drive a patrol vehicle around a parking area of office buildings in Rancho Cordova, California (just east of Sacramento). It was about 12-1:00am on Friday morning September 19, 2003 when I turned the vehicle to face south when something in the sky caught my eye. It was a circular red-orange ball of light that was hovering slowly east. If it were right in front of me I would have to estimate it at walking speed. The size, like throwing a golf ball straight up into the air about seven or eight feet. At first I thought it may have been a helicopter or airplane as this object was above Mather AirForce Base, which is inactive. Usually, however, a helicopter or plane is accompanied by flashing green or white lights, as I see them on a nightly basis. So I turned off the engine to my vehicle and opened the door to see if I could hear an engine of some kind ... there was nothing. This light continued to hover east for several seconds then came to a stop. It had only been still for no more than two seconds before it disappeared. It didn't fade or speed out of sight, but just vanished like turning off a light switch. I sat there for several more minutes hoping this thing would return, but it never did. I told myself I wouldn't sare this with anyone as they might think I was crazy, but decided differently when listening to the "Coast to Coast AM" radio program this evening with Peter Davenport. When Mr. Davenport shared his first experience of witnessing a U.F.O., my stomach sank like that first drop when riding a roller coaster. Not being a previous believer in this sort of thing, I know what I saw was absolutely real and someone else must have seen it too.

Posted 2003-09-24