NUFORC Sighting 41092

Occurred: 2004-12-11 21:55 Local
Reported: 2004-12-13 09:09 Pacific
Duration: 15 seconds
No of observers: 4

Location: Van Alstyne, TX, USA

Shape: Triangle
Characteristics: Lights on object

Triangular formation of lights seen in the western sky above Van Alstyne, Texas fade away into the ether.

Two of my old friends, my friend's dad and I were shooting the breeze around a campfire behind the barn beside their house in the country when my friend's dad points in the direction behind me and says "what the hell is that?!". As I turned we all saw a formation of three lights in the western sky I would say anywhere from 1 to 5 miles from our location east of the town of Van Alstyne and about 25 to 30 degrees above the horizon. It could have been hovering anywhere between the airspace above town center and past highway 75 above the fields to the west. It was a very clear night, no clouds and high visibility. At first I thought it may have been a plane or 3 planes headed in our direction with landing lights on wich is strange because the flight path to DFW International Airport has traffic that usually heads east to west in our area. What was unusually strange is that it did not move at all for at least 10 seconds and then all 3 lights faded simultaneously for about 5 seconds all in complete silence. All four of us definately agree to this part of the description whereas the details are mixed. I seem to remember that the topmost light in the middle was bright yellowish white much like an airliner's landing light while the 2 lights on the side where a duller blueish green much like a street light. My friend and his dad seemed to remember the opposite with the greenish light in the middle and the white lights on the outside. I did not see if there was anything in the middle while the friend and his dad seem to have noticed a dark triangle in between the formation of lights. While the other friend vehemently belives that they were 1 or 3 airplanes they did not follow the normal patterns of any airplane I have ever seen in a low approach (I live just south of DFW airport and I am used to seeing exactly how airliners behave at low altitudes). Also there were no port and starboard running lights or strobe lights and the other major detail, no sound. I am thinking about reporting to the local news in the area because it would have to have been seen from the highway if not seen from the locals who where at the time throwing a Christmas parade and festival. I have seen only one other unexplained phenomenon in my lifetime on lake Ponchartrain in Louisiana and have reported it on this site but this is far more inexplicable than anything I have ever seen in the night sky before.

Posted 2004-12-14