1998-07-07 - Livermore, CA - Other

A star-like object inscribed rectangles in the sky and then vanished!.

I have avoided telling this for fear of ridicule. Even my wife is not aware. If it ever gets out, I will be an outcast! But I know what I saw.

At about 9PM on the 7th of July, 1998 while watching TV, I heard what sounded like a distant explosion. Seemed to have come from the Southeast (toward my back-yard). Thinking it might be some illicit fireworks left over from the 4th (fireworks are VERBOTEN in California), I stepped out into the back yard to watch. I saw some 4 or 5 more explosions (rockets) with the traditional red-white-blue streamers coming down. After the 4th or 5th rocket there was a long pause. I didn't know if that was the last rocket or not so I just waited.

While I was waiting I glanced around the sky. It was very clear and the stars were bright. Looking up at about a 45 degree angle to the North, I saw a particularly bright star which I glanced at for a second or two and moved on to other stars. But before it was out of my field of view, I caught a movement and I glanced back.

Thinking it might be a satellite, I continued to watch as it slowly moved toward the south.

But, After 15 or 20 seconds it made a sharp 90 degree turn! Then at about 30 to 45 seconds more another 90 degree turn! As I watched, it inscribed a perfect rectangle. It made almost 2 complete trips in this rectangular pattern while I watched. I estimated it took about 2 minutes to complete a rectangular trip, and made approximately two of these trips while I watched. Then there was a split second when it streaked off at about a 45 degree angle which led away from the rectangle it had been making. In about 1/10th of a second the light just went out. That was the last I saw of it.