2003-08-06 - Waldorf, MD - Light

Bright orange light seen in daytime sighting by UFO investigator while travelling.

I was in a vehicle, stopped on Highway #301 amidst work traffic heading south in Waldorf, MD. Wednesday morning, August 6, 2003. Time was 08:27:30. The sky consisted of unbroken gray cloud cover approximately 200 feet thick with its base at approximately 400 feet altitude. Directly above the highway in my line of site at approximately 10 degrees elevation, a small but very bright orange light came shooting out of the cloud base approximately 1600 feet away from me. The object's trajectory out of the cloud base was horizontal at first but immediately curved sharply downward--directly toward the ground below. The object continued to burn steady until it passed 100 feet altitude at which time it faded out within a full second and visually ceased to exist. Estimated speed was approximately 50 feet per second. I was facing SW. The object travelled at first from my right going to my left (NW to SE) before diving. Object appeared star-like similar to Planet Venus in image size and intensity with no noticable form. If the sighting had occurred at night, the brightness could rival a welder's torch. Size of object was likely only a couple feet diameter. Size and distance range was determined by using estimated altitude of cloud ceiling and elevation of object at point of exit from the cloud base. Object was very close to intersection of Hwy. #301 and Rt. #228 in downtown Waldorf. There were at least 200 cars between me and that intersection. There were at least as many cars behind me, as well. Sighting was brief and unexpected. No one was seen stopping and getting out of their cars. Object looked generally like a flare from a flare gun but appeared to have controlled flight, in my opinion. I am an independant UFO investigator with many sightings to my credit and have personally determined this to be a true unknown.