1999-11-22 - Bradenton, FL - Fireball

a most spectacular sighting over central florida

while heading s/e/ in the north side of bradenton. a brilliant orange ball with a tail was seen. the sky was crystal clear and a full moon was visable to the north. the ball was 1/2 the size of the full moon. it had a tail that was the length of your hand closed. it was headed up at a 45 degree angle and to the south east. it changed to a dark red and immediately reversed direction to the north on a horizontal plane. the tail was now angled 45 degree's back to the s/e and down. there was a bright white flash and the color of the ball changed to blue. there was now a white cone around the ball oposite the direction of travel. it appeared to have dropped components ( shields?) the tail had dissapeared at this point. it again changed directions and headed away and up from it's last direction. it got smaller and started to flash rapidly between blue to white . it then flashed, doubled it's size and white lazer lights appeared from the sides. it then dissapeared from sight behind the trees. the sighting took two to three minutes to play out.