Bright orange object, incredible speed, diamond shaped and turning
Sitting on our patio, looking West, an solid, bright orange craft of unknown origin rose out from the western sky and flew East, directly toward us at a very high rate of speed. The craft flew in our direction for about 7 or 8 seconds growing larger and then banked sharply to its right, bearing South. As it turned, it gained altitude and speed. Best guess of altitude was between 2,000 to 5,000 feet. Speed at the turn was between 400 and 600 knots. Speed as the craft rose out of the turn and disappeared increased to well over 1,500 knots and kept increasing as the craft disappeared.
We live in Ventura next to the Oxnard airport (very small, local airport) and are also in the flight path of LAX for large jets going to Europe. We see many passenger planes at night at about 20,000 feet. Being an avid sky-watcher and novice astronomer I am very well aware of altitude and speed of objects in the sky. I feel VERY confident of my estimate of altitude and speed. I have never seen anything in my life move this fast and accellerate so rapidly. Utterly astonishing! The craft made absolutely no sound and was very low and very close. It was bright orange with no blinking lights, only a very bright glow. As it grew closer, before it turned it seemd to be a diamond shape. Upon turning, the craft left a small aura behind it that dissipated almost instantly. It was not a lingering contrail like an airplane would leave. Instead, it looked like vapor coming off the object from such an immediate change in direction and speed (air compression leading to vapor).
Sitting on our patio, looking West, an solid, bright orange craft of unknown origin rose out from the western sky and flew East, directly toward us at a very high rate of speed. The craft flew in our direction for about 7 or 8 seconds growing larger and then banked sharply to its right, bearing South. As it turned, it gained altitude and speed. Best guess of altitude was between 2,000 to 5,000 feet. Speed at the turn was between 400 and 600 knots. Speed as the craft rose out of the turn and disappeared increased to well over 1,500 knots and kept increasing as the craft disappeared.
We live in Ventura next to the Oxnard airport (very small, local airport) and are also in the flight path of LAX for large jets going to Europe. We see many passenger planes at night at about 20,000 feet. Being an avid sky-watcher and novice astronomer I am very well aware of altitude and speed of objects in the sky. I feel VERY confident of my estimate of altitude and speed. I have never seen anything in my life move this fast and accellerate so rapidly. Utterly astonishing! The craft made absolutely no sound and was very low and very close. It was bright orange with no blinking lights, only a very bright glow. As it grew closer, before it turned it seemd to be a diamond shape. Upon turning, the craft left a small aura behind it that dissipated almost instantly. It was not a lingering contrail like an airplane would leave. Instead, it looked like vapor coming off the object from such an immediate change in direction and speed (air compression leading to vapor).
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Ventura
USA
20 seconds
20 seconds
34.31
-119.29
changing
CA
Occurred : 6/19/2008 00:30 (Entered as : 6/19/08 0:30) Reported: 6/20/2008 11:03:06 AM 11:03 Posted: 7/5/2008 Location: Ventura, CA Shape: Changing Duration: 20 seconds Characteristics: There were lights on the object, There was an aura or haze around the object
Bright orange object, incredible speed, diamond shaped and turning