1999-11-11 - Fallbrook, CA - Sphere

I saw what I at first thought was a Vandenburg launch to the west. Instead a vapor trail, orange in color, rose in the sky and leveled out heading east. The trail remained the same size, when it was overhead I saw that there was a round object at the head and noticeably separated from the trail. I photogaphed it with my digital work camera (I am a newspaper photographer). It was probably a jet or something like that, but so unusual looking. I can send an image if you would like to see it. My brother thinks its a jet. .

When I left work around 10 miutes to five today, November 11, 1999. I noticed a trail in the sky to the west, in the directon that we usually see the Vandenburg launches, and that was what I thought it was. It was still light out, but getting dark. The vapor trail seemed to rise but never got any longer. It headed toward me, to the east. The color was orange. I thought well maybe I should photograph this, so I my camera out of the truck and took some pictures as it came toward me, as it became level with me I could see from the ground with just my eyes that here was a round object ahead of the vapor trail, and separated from by a distance about the same sizes the round object. The trail and object looked at arms length to be about 4-5 inches long. The picture clearly shows the gap. Does a jet plane have a gap behind it and the trail? If so I guess it could be a jet, the color the trail, very distinct. Could it be caused by the sun angle, sun was below the horizon I think. Anyway, color was unusual and certainly round shape unusual. Would the roundness be another bit of work by the sun angle? I have a picture if you think it is worthy of further study I can send it.