2000-06-30 - Paso Robles, CA - Formation

"Small, Satellite-Like Formation of 3 Lights, Performs Figure-eight Movements Around One Another in Night Sky"

This is now the 2nd night I have had to report an unusual sighting in my area....I submitted a report on 6/29/00 concerning a color-changing ball of light that would move.... However, tonight, again as I stood out on my back deck waiting for my dog to come in from defecating, I looked to the area over the foothills (approx. 1/2 mile from my house) where I had witnessed the light phenomena last night.... I did NOT see the light at this time, however it was 2230 hours, and I had visualized the phenomena at 0100 hours on the 29th.... However, as I scanned the night sky, almost directly overhead i observed what i immediately thought to be a "satellite"..I am familiar with satellites, in that I have witnessed them as a very small, non-blinking white light that moves in a straight path across the sky... It is my opinion that it is almost HARD to actually get the chance to SEE a satellite, as they are small and are not always in your area of the sky... However, I witnessed this small, white, non-blinking or color changing light fly overhead north-east to a south-west. I verified that it was flying east-west via (3) methods: #1. The foothills I have spoken of seperate my region from the coast and the San Simeon/Hearst Castle area of California..The foothills are thereby to the west of me. #2. I have an online map program that verified MY address and located San Simeon to be (as the map verified)to my exact West...The object flew overhead and to the south-west slightly....Within about 20 seconds I saw a second, identical object fly in the same trajectory as the first (as if following it)...and within about 30 seconds, a third, also identical object passed along that same path/trajectory... I immediately thought that this was unusual because satellites do not tend to be so close together....For the next few seconds I did not watch the objects, but then when i looked above to approximately the same area i had first observed the first object, I noticed that there were now (3) objects (I believe them to be th! e same a s the objects I just mentioned), that at first came together (As if they might collide) then they began to do what i call 'dance" around one another in a figure eight type or elyptical pattern... I watched the objects about another 30 seconds (I had already been out watching them several minutes TOTAL by then), but I began to become a bit frightened, as I had NEVER seen any planes, etc. perform circling/figure-eight type movements around one another...I went back inside and tried to inform my husband, who, again, was unable/unwilling to confirm my sighting. I made an immediate call to your report line, and this written follow-up is consequent to that.

((NUFORC Note: We spoke at some length with the party who submitted this report, and we found her to be an exceptionally good witness. Please see other report for this time and date from Penn Valley, CA. PD))