2006-04-29 - Portland, OR - Sphere

Amber orb lights over downtown Portland

Friday, April 30, 2006 12:08 a.m.

Beginning at 11:54 p. m ending 12:04 a.m.

I was closing the shades on my windows that face south to downtown Portland; my location is by the train station. I viewed two amber colored orbs slowing flying low (maybe 500 to 1000 feet, difficult to say because of the darkness), just kind of gliding through the air.

They were traveling east over the West Hills then made a turn south by the US Bancorp Tower. They kept moving and then seemed to stop (still over south downtown) and did not move until their lights just seemed to go out.

I watched these objects for at least ten minutes outside of my apartment.


((NUFORC Note: One of two reports of apparently the same event. Sighting occurred on Saturday night, April 29, 2006. We have corrected the date above. PD))


((ADDENDUM FROM WITNESS))

Mr. Davenport,
would you like me to take a picture from the precise places that I saw the lights? Everyday I look out the window and try to figure out where exactly this thing was.

So, here's what you have asked me for:

1) my home address is ((address deleted)). The rear of my apartment faces southwest. I have a clear view of downtown Portland from this direction. I am also to see the West Hills from my windows. I only saw two lights and I have narrowed the vicinity of downtown to above the Brewery blocks (between N.W. 11th and N.W. 13th and N.W. Burnside and N.W. Davis streets). It traveled very slowly, gliding almost, east past the USBancorp tower (between 5th and 6th avenue and Burnside) just passing it (but higher than the building, which is 470 feet approximately). About three blocks after the tower it slowly turned south. It continued for I would say a mile to a mile and a half. The lights were still very clear, just a little faded.

2) The angle of the lights was about 60 degrees. These lights lasted about ten minutes or so in duration, without breaking or flashing. These lights were amber in hue, but as I really studied them, I noticed that one of the lights might have been more red (I believe that there were three lights in a very small cluster).

My husband was with me at the time, and he will be filing an individual report this week. We both stood there and watched these and discussed what it might be. I guess we were trying to rationalize what we were seeing above a major metropolitan area. Nothing made sense, nor does now. They could have very easily been attached in some way though, for moving that slow, with absolutely no sound. It is very quiet where I live, so we can hear anything flying in the sky. There is a helipad five blocks away and we can hear them for a good ten to twelve blocks. Especially that night, it was late in the evening and our building was silent. There was hardly any traffic going by.

I have already given my consent to an interview with the Oregonian. You might also think about calling the Portland Tribune, it is an independent local newspaper.

Let me know if you want that picture, I'll take it tonight and then one in the morning for a daylight shot.
I have enclosed a map of where I live and other points of reference.

Regards,

((name deleted))

((END ADDENDUM))