NUFORC Sighting 173559

Occurred: 2022-12-24 22:30 Local
Reported: 2022-12-24 23:43 Pacific
Duration: Less than 5 minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Chico, CA, USA
Location details: Approximately 10 to 20 mi east of the city of Chico California

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

I observed two different orange balls at low altitude, below 5000 ft with the naked eye and a pair of binoculars at approximately 10:30 p.m. Pacific time December 24th, 2022 from an apartment in west Chico California. The two orange balls were in an area about 10 to 20 miles east of the city of Chico. I was unable to distinguish if the balls were a fire like substance or a artificial light. Both of the orange balls appeared at different intervals approximately 3 to 4 minutes apart from one another. I immediately checked the flight tracker after witnessing the aerial phenomenon and was able to locate only one flight in the area at the time and observed the airplane with a pair of binoculars north west of where I viewed the two orange ball phenomenons. The two orange balls went dark after a few minutes in the sky randomly. The two orange balls did not appear to be meteors as they were traveling far too slow to be a meteor. The flight data from the flight tracker website showed the airline at approximately 10,000 ft which is consistent with what I personally viewed after viewing the phenomenon. The pilot flying the airline may have witnessed the phenomenon as well. The flight was headed southbound from Seatac airport to the Sacramento airport. I am unsure if the phenomenon was extra terrestrial in nature. This phenomenon was something that I have never witnessed before in my life and I felt compelled to report my findings to you. Please follow up with me if you have any questions.

Posted 2023-03-06