NUFORC Sighting 96190

Occurred: 2013-02-03 18:15 Local
Reported: 2013-02-04 00:24 Pacific
Duration: 1-3 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Santa Cruz, CA, USA

Shape: Sphere
Characteristics: Lights on object, Emitted other objects, Aircraft nearby

Orange light ejects flares

Just as the second half of the Superbowl was starting I took out the trash, and I saw a bright orange light that appeared to be flying over Santa Cruz or maybe further south over Capitola or Aptos. The light did not blink and seemed unusually bright for an aircraft. It moved smoothly north at first, but later changed direction and headed south and down towards the ocean in the middle of the Monterey Bay. Before disappearing below the tree line, it shot what looked like a line of about 10 flares UPWARD in a rapid fire manner that only took about five seconds. The flares didn't fall, but seemed to float in place for about 10 or 15 seconds then disappeared.

At first I thought this was a helicopter, because I heard the sound of a helicopter nearby, but soon it became apparent that there was indeed a helicopter moving north, but it continued north even after the orange light changed direction. There was no discernible sound coming from the orange light nor its fl! ares.

There is a constant stream of planes flying north over Santa Cruz day and night, but this light seemed to be much lower than the usual planes, and I could see a plane fly above it at what I guess to be about 5000 feet - I think the light was at about 2000 feet before it moved downward towards the ocean. It seems likely that other craft in the sky would have seen it too.

I tried driving down the street to a better vantage point to see where it went, but I saw nothing.

NUFORC Note:

Witness elects to remain totally anonymous; provides no contact information. PD

Posted 2013-02-04