2008-01-26 - Portland, OR - Circle

Stationary yellow-white ball of light over Portland, OR, emitting colors and no sound.

I live fairly near the airport so am quite accustomed to seeing planes flying near our home as well as military jets. Last night while on my porch just after midnight I noticed an object that was more spherical than a plane would appear and significantly larger -- I would estimate about 5 to 6 times greater in size than an airplane would be at that distance. I watched it for about five minutes and it did not move, nor did it become larger or smaller as a plane would have had it been moving. It was spherical, gradually changed from white to yellow (much unlike the flashing of airplane lights) and emitted and aura and lights in hues of red, yellow-orange, white and occasionally blue around its periphery. It appeared to emit an occasional small beam of white light, though not in any discernible pattern or consistent direction. The best way to explain the emitting colors would be to compare it to a child's sparkler on the fourth of July. This craft/light was silent, which again is quite unlike any airplane I am accustomed to seeing, particularly on nights as quiet and still as last night was. After approximately five minutes, possibly a bit less, the light simply went out and I was unable to see it. There was nothing obstructing my view of it so it is impossible that its view was obscured by a tree or structure. The sky was clear and nearly cloudless (I could see many stars) so it's not possible that it went behind a cloud, either. I came out several more times over the next two hours, camera in hand, but it did not reappear. Unfortunately my husband was already sleeping so did not witness it with me. I am quite curious to see if anyone else has reported seeing similar stationary lights in Portland recently.