NUFORC Sighting 68082

Occurred: 2009-01-16 20:45 Local
Reported: 2009-01-17 11:36 Pacific
Duration: 45 min.
No of observers: 2

Location: Gladwin, MI, USA

Shape: Sphere
Characteristics: Emitted other objects, Changed Color, Aircraft nearby

Slow moving orange light that pulsates red flying at low altitude

At around 20:30 I was sitting at my computer when I glanced out of my window, which faces almost due west, and I noticed a bright orange light in the sky just above the treeline. I dismissed it as nothing out of the ordinary, figuring it was possibly the planet Venus. I returned to my activities on the computer but I started thinking about the light and realized that I had never observed Venus in that position in the sky nor had I ever seen a star or planet either as bright or as big.

After having pointed out the object to my brother I returned to my room, turned off the light, noted the time (20:46) and started watching the ball of light. It seemed to remain stationary but after a little while I thought I saw it move.

To confirm that it was indeed moving I rested my chin on the window sill, braced my head with my hands and kept one edge of the window in my peripheral sight to provide a reference point. This is what I observed: 1: The intensity of the light changed, it would go from rather bright to fairly dim. The duration and brightness seemed quite random.

2: There appeared to be a background shape but I could not distinguish an exact form.

3: The light pulsed or throbbed red. The duration and brightness of the pulse was somewhat variable.

It had a rise, peak and fall unlike an airplane strobe.

4: The light moved. It was moving westward (away from me) very slowly the whole time I watched, at times it would stop and stay in position and then in a very fluid but quick motion go either south or north a little ways and then either remain motionless in its new position or resume movement west.

5: I saw three airplanes at different times coming from different directions and altitudes but they all were heading in general direction of the light.

6: Toward the end of the time of my observation the light was pretty far away but it seemed to separate into three different points of light and then join back up into one several times.

The time I spent intently watching this was just over 45 minutes, but starting from when I first spotted the light it was in the sky for over an hour.

Two side notes, the first one, This isn't the first time my brother and I have observed strange lights in the skies over Gladwin, if anyone in the central Michigan area has seen any UAP or UAVs please report it here. Second, If you watch the skies remember to keep camera batteries charged or fresh ones handy. My camera was on the same window sill that I was watching from but the battery was dead and I didn't want to break away to get the charger, if I had my camera I could have got some good shots with its 10x zoom and probally some good video due to how long the light was in the sky.

Posted 2009-03-19