Erractic pinpoint of light observed in the night skies of greater Phoenix.
At approximately 10:00 PM, I was relaxing in the outdoor spa of my apartment complex when I noticed a star-sized point of light in the eastern sky. The point of light moved erratically to the right, then downward and to the left and then roughly northeast and out of my field of vision behind the apartment building, all the time very wobbly and erratic.
There is a lot of air traffic in the area and, being a private pilot myself, I am familiar with most aircraft lighting configurations. What's more, there was an airliner visible several miles behind the luminous object heading nearly due west while the object moved in the foreground. I had no way of estimating its size or range.
I can't say for sure what the luminous object was, but I can say with some confidence what the object was not. It wasn't a meteor because it stopped and reversed direction. It was not a model airplane because it moved too rapidly, and it was not a balloon because it was a windless evening and again, it moved too quickly. It was almost certainly not a firework or flare --- it moved silently.
This is the first unusual sighting I've observed in the night sky. I was not dreaming or intoxicated. In fact, the event happened so quickly that I didn't have a chance to be surprised.
At approximately 10:00 PM, I was relaxing in the outdoor spa of my apartment complex when I noticed a star-sized point of light in the eastern sky. The point of light moved erratically to the right, then downward and to the left and then roughly northeast and out of my field of vision behind the apartment building, all the time very wobbly and erratic.
There is a lot of air traffic in the area and, being a private pilot myself, I am familiar with most aircraft lighting configurations. What's more, there was an airliner visible several miles behind the luminous object heading nearly due west while the object moved in the foreground. I had no way of estimating its size or range.
I can't say for sure what the luminous object was, but I can say with some confidence what the object was not. It wasn't a meteor because it stopped and reversed direction. It was not a model airplane because it moved too rapidly, and it was not a balloon because it was a windless evening and again, it moved too quickly. It was almost certainly not a firework or flare --- it moved silently.
This is the first unusual sighting I've observed in the night sky. I was not dreaming or intoxicated. In fact, the event happened so quickly that I didn't have a chance to be surprised.
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Scottsdale
USA
3-5 seconds
3-5 seconds
33.59
-111.90
light
AZ
Occurred : 1/13/2004 22:00 (Entered as : 01/13/2004 22:00) Reported: 1/13/2004 9:38:04 PM 21:38 Posted: 1/17/2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Shape: Light Duration: 3-5 seconds Characteristics: There were aircraft in the vicinity or aircraft chasing the object
Erractic pinpoint of light observed in the night skies of greater Phoenix.