Occurred: 2005-08-14 03:57 Local
Reported: 2005-08-21 21:59 Pacific
Duration: Appx. 10 seconds
No of observers: 6

Location: Blairsville, GA, USA

Shape: Orb





GUFOG Report of Minor Observation During MUFON of Georgia Skywatch

On 13Aug05 GUFOG's friend and associate, Georgia MUFON Director Mark Ausmus, was holding a Skywatch atop Brasstown Bald (BTB), the highest point in Georgia at 4,784 feet. BTB is located within the Chattahoochee WMA directly on the boundary separating Union and Towns Counties. BTB is located appx. 82 miles NNW of Atlanta.

This writer arrived on BTB at about 10:00PM and met with Mark and four of his MUFON staff. This local surveillance began from the large parking and picnic area atop the mountain.

Earlier in the afternoon and evening there had occurred an EXTREMELY HEAVY period of rain which began to clear off by 7:30-8:00PM. Mist and light clouds remained down below, but the top of BTB was far above this and offered almost crystal clear dark skies overhead, with the Milky Way in plain view. Some light mist would occasionally show on the distant horizon, but it would clear off or shift, not much interfering in any way with the excellent visibility and ceiling. The moon had set by about midnight or so. Conditions for a Skywatch seemed to be mostly perfect. The wind was calm and temperatures dropped into the 60's at that elevation.

The post-peak Perseid meteor activity was consistent and rather "busy" at times.

At 3:57PM, the group was facing more or less to the west, with frequent 360 degree scans and a check of the rear (east) horizon. This writer had turned toward the east for just such a scan.

This writer, looking toward the east, observed what appeared to be a light approaching from the NNE appearing to be traveling generally south. It appeared LARGER and BRIGHTER than the starry background. Observed with the naked eye, this light made an obvious swerving motion which seemed to make it EVEN bigger and brighter AS IF coming closer, i.e. seeming to quickly and briefly veer SW TOWARD our location. It is estimated that this light was about 20 degrees above the horizon.

The writer quickly trained 7X50 binoculars on the light and alerted the other members of the party. Upon viewing with magnification, the light appeared to be a TINY PEARL-LIKE GLOWING ORB that was proceeding quickly on a generally N to S course, it's movements being several rapid "swerves" upward and then levelling off, then repeating this......swerving upward and levelling off, as it traveled N to S. This N to S course was parallel to the large parking/picnic area on top of BTB. This swerving motion was OBVIOUS and seemed almost looping or "snake-like", especially in the first few seconds. As the ORB continued past, it seemed to get smaller and dimmer and this writer had the impression that it was veering off to the SE, AWAY from the Skywatch's BTB location. This continued until the ORB vanished among the LOW background of stars. Event duration is estimated at about 10 seconds. Even with the difficulties of determining range or distance at night, this writer had the impression that the ORB was definitely MORE than a mile away and DID in fact come a bit closer to the BTB location for a very brief period during it's N to S transit i.e. the first few seconds of observation.

Afterwards, the group discussed a satellite, but the DEFINITE swerving observed by this witness was SURE and DISTINCT. This ORB was also low down toward the horizon and seemed to be traveling MUCH faster than any satellite (or even commercial aircraft) previously observed by this writer. The horizon was noted to be crystal clear at the time of this observation.

Though this observation seems A RATHER MINOR EPISODE, recent reports of unusual and unknown aerial activity from this same mountainous region makes it advisable to describe the event for documentation.

An effort to identify this event as PROSAIC was initiated by this investigator.

The database of the "Heavens-Above" (HA) site was consulted. It revealed that the closest "known" and readily visible satellite to the time period in question (3:57AM 14Aug05) was the ISS. The HA database indicated that the ISS would appear at about 3.0 magnitude at 4:10:24AM at 10 degrees in the NE........maximum altitude for the ISS at that time would REMAIN at 10 degrees in the NE......the ISS appearance then ENDING at the same 10 degrees in the NE at 4:10:28.......being visible for ONLY four seconds. This is 13 minutes AFTER the observation described above by this writer.

This writer, as former MUFON of Georgia SD, ISUR Board member and founder of GUFOG, has utilized the "Heavens-Above" (HA) database for numerous years. It has always proven accurate during many case investigations.

One glaring example of HA's accuracy would be a central Georgia investigation from a few years ago. While interviewing a witness, she was pointing out the sky movements of an unknown craft observed the night before. A BRILLIANT flash, almost like some high, fiery pyrotechnic device, surprised both the witness and this writer as we looked up. Upon returning to the office, the writer checked with HA and found a predicted Iridium flare AT THE EXACT LOCATION AND EXACT TIME as the aforementioned flare. Precise information indeed.

As described above, this writer's observation from BTB at 3:57AM was 13 minutes EARLIER than the predicted appearance of the ISS. It was also higher than the predicted ISS and TRAVELED at least 40 degrees on the compass before vanishing appx. in the SE. Said travel seeming FASTER than previously observed satellites or even commercial aircraft. Lastly, the movement itself was unique....seeming to "swerve" closer to BTB during the first few seconds, then with "snake-like" motion and swerves, moved NOTICEABLY UPWARDS, then leveling off, upwards then leveling off, repeating several times.

This writer is continuing with the effort to identify this MINOR unknown observation, but at this time ALSO considers the "Heavens-Above" information to be true and correct. Probably indicating that the unknown observation and the predicted appearance of the ISS to be separate issues.

W.T. Sheets-Georgia UFO Group Note for the Georgia public: I urge each person who observes an unknown aerial event or craft (anything you cannot readily identify as an aircraft, balloon, satellite, natural atmospheric/celestial event or meteor) to please fill out the NUFORC form and submit it to Peter Davenport. In the event more investigation might be required, additional assistance is available from GUFOG (<>) or our friends and associates at MUFON of Georgia (>>mufonga.org<<).

Your identity will be protected! BUT......PLEASE, whatever you do, fill out and submit the NUFORC form because this just might bring forward ADDITIONAL credible witnesses to such unknown activity in our Georgia skies.

NUFORC Note:

We express our gratitude to Walter "Tom" Sheets for sharing the report with NUFORC. PD


Posted 2005-09-02

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