NUFORC Sighting 36266

Occurred: 2004-03-28 19:45 Local
Reported: 2004-04-12 07:13 Pacific
Duration: 10 seconds
No of observers: 2

Location: Fall City, WA, USA

Shape: Light

Two lights brighter than Jupiter, one above the other, suddenly disappeared.

While reviewing the more recent reports, I noticed a report of "anomalous lights" seen in Renton, WA, on 03/28/04. My 16 year old daughter and I also observed these lights. I was setting up my telescope in our front yard to observe Saturn when my daughter asked me to look at two stars behind us. I turned around (facing NNE)and saw through the trees what I thought were two very bright stars, one above the other, very near to Polaris in the sky. The apparent magnitude of both was brighter than Jupiter. I began to reposition my telescope away from the tree branches and when I turned both stars were gone. My daughter reported that they both had just "vanished". I am a former Army aviator and these lights did not appear to be either flares or conventional aircraft.

NUFORC Note:

We wonder whether the lights might have been landing lights on distant aircraft, although the witness, an aviator, seems to have ruled that out. PD

Posted 2004-04-27