1999-03-21 - Knappa, OR - Unknown

I was outside and saw a helicopter with its search light on. I went out for a closer look and saw 'something', and it appeared to be above the clouds moving around. I only saw it for a slight moment before I left for my sister

Please be aware this could have been a misidentification. I have a few possiblities as to what I saw. 1. It could have been a effect of a searchlight maybe above the clouds or below (I didn't see any visible 'beam' (like a search light) going to the illumination in the clouds). 2. Maybe a helicopter above the clouds (account for the searchlight). I really don't know what it was. Im not rock-solid on the time. I know it was near 11pm.. but still 10pm. The skies were overcast. I could see maybe 4 stars to my southeast. I was about to go in the house (from a short walk.. few days ago my step-mother mentioned a bright light outside, though this might not have anything to do with this whatsoever) when I saw a helicopter to my west. I ran out near the bank and I noticed it had its searchlight on. It looked like it was looking for something on the ground. I looked up and noticed that there was a 'circular' form of light either above or below the clouds (I thought it was above). It was moving smoothly with no jagged movement, but fast. I noticed that as I sat there, just after I looked, it nearly stopped to a halt. I couldn't believe what I was seeing so I ran for the house to get my sister. When we got outside the 'circular light' was too far to our east. We could still see 'flashes' and the helicopter. We both noticed about 4 flashes. They were very fast, and very bright. Kind of like lightning, but faster. I thought, at the time, the flashing was coming from our east, where the helicopter and 'light' were. I thought I saw this 'light' above the clouds a few times, but by this time they were miles away. I really wish I had stayed outside and not ran to the house, I could have deffinately in my mind determined what it was... I wasn't given enough time. The light above/below the clouds was about the size of holding an orange at arms length... and I remember it moving, but not the exact movements. I don't know exactly how fast it moved because my 'sighting' wasn't given enough time. Me and my sister drove up onto Wickiup to see if it would return, but till' 2:02 am we saw nothing. It seems like the object was heading east, near the Columbia river, atleast relevant to my area. I must also note that during the duration that the helicoter was visible we were talking about it, so we didn't keep constant eye contact with the area where th! e 'light' or the helicopter were. As I said, a few times I thought I saw the object moving around in the clouds ahead of the helicopter. And once I thought I saw a 'beam', but I was unsure (in the vicinity of the helicopter). I want to know if anyone else saw it so that I can understand it better. I would also like an explanation for the flashes that my and my sister saw.