NUFORC Sighting 82160

Occurred: 2011-07-04 21:15 Local
Reported: 2011-07-04 20:19 Pacific
Duration: 60 minutes
No of observers: 3

Location: Knoxville, TN, USA

Shape: Fireball
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aura or haze around object, Aircraft nearby

Strange orange lights over Knoxville, TN

While watching fireworks, a light caught our attention which appeared to be a flare at first. It was orange in color and seems to glimmer like a flame. However, we begin to watch as it moved across the sky beyond our view.

It appeared to be high in the sky. Roughly 10 minutes later another "orange flare" came across the sky following the same pattern almost, it too flew out of view as the first.

As it flew overhead, binoculars form within the house were obtained. View through binoculars, the object was very hard to focus in on remaining blurry.

Approx. 10 minutes later another flew in about the same path and direction as the previous. This time, this particular "orange flare" was moving faster than the others coming from the same direction and going towards the same direction as the other. (The direction these things were going was from the North - Northeast moving towards the southwest - sometimes turning west). This one slowed down and appeared to come to ! a complete stop while still glowing orange.

A minute or two later, the item began to move in a western direction and slowly began to disappear until it was gone. Once it disappeared, another came into view across the sky to the north again - it followed the same path. This point was when the choice to grab the telescope was made.

However, as the telescope was being sought after, two more objects appeared outside. This time as one went across (same direction) another appeared across the sky in the direction they were coming from making visible two of these objects at one time.

These objects were photographed and caught on video (phone). However, watching the video and film afterwards, it is very hard to see what was actually seen. Describing the view through binoculars - the objects appeared to be an orange spot light moving from side to side almost. It was very hard to focus in on the objects. The sky was clear except for some smoke in the southern portion of the sky from t! he fireworks - however, these objects moved through clear skie! s.

When the one object stopped, we observed a plane flying from the east to west and appeared to be flying toward the direction; however, when the plane flew by the object - you could tell the plane was much higher than the object. However, it seemed weird that object slowed and stopped as the plane approached and as soon as the plane passed over head of the object, that is when the object begin moving in the westerly direction as the same as the plane, then vanished. Further research on the internet mentioned items such as Chinese lanterns which may be possible - not sure because we have never seen them but the objects were weird as they seemed to be moving at various speeds and the one that stopped. We have never seen anything like this before.

The first two objects came from the North and traveled in a southwestern direction. The remaining objects came from the Northeast and traversed in a southwestern direction except for the one object that stopped and changed to a western direction. All objects except the first vanished or disappeared in the sky in view, while the first vanished behind the house out of view.

The object emitted no noise from at least what we could tell - there were fireworks going off in the distance and the booming of those were heard, however, when the plane flew by, we could hear that.

The objects were very hard to focus on and appeared blurry even through the binoculars; however they were very bright in color and looked like flares in a way but without the excessive smoke or flame appearance flares give off - the same color though.

The first two were moving about the same speed and the third that stopped was moving very fast before it slowed to a stop. The remaining was various speeds but no! t as fast as the third.

The items were viewed from about 2115 hours to approx. 2215 hours.

The objects appeared as circle type and blurry. We stayed out until 2250 hours waiting for more but no more were observed.

Posted 2011-07-06

© 2023 National UFO Reporting Center. All rights reserved. Use or reproduction within any application without written consent is prohibited.