NUFORC Sighting 33295

Occurred: 2003-11-20 19:30 Local
Reported: 2003-11-21 16:18 Pacific
Duration: 20 minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Parker, KS, USA

Shape: Unknown
Characteristics: Lights on object

Two bright reddish orange lights moving from southern horizon in NNW direction

On the evening of Thursday, November 20, 2003, I traveled to "Scopeville," a private tract of land owned and managed by a small group of amateur astronomers from the Kansas City area to engage in an evening of astronomical observations. Scopeville is around 70 miles south of Kansas City, just south of the village of Parker, Kansas.

At approximately 7:30 PM CST, I was observing Mars through my 8 inch Meade LX90 telescope when I noticed a bright red light on the southern horizon. For an instant, I thought it was the star Sirius but quickly realized that Sirius should appear on the eastern horizon, and the light was nearly due south of me. I turned my telescope on the light and saw that it was not a single light but two nearly identical lights, looking very much like a double star, each being of first visual magnitude. As I continued to observe the lights, I noted that they were moving slowly to the North Northwest. I followed the lights in my scope until they were overhead and slightly to the west of me. At no time did I observe either red/green navigation lights or any flashing strobe lights.

I attempted to get a digital photograph of the lights through my telescope and obtained an image of two fuzzy reddish orange patches of light.

Posted 2003-11-26