White oval above treetops in Madison, WI - changed direction and color
From my office window, on the East side of Madison, Wisconsin, I had just watched a flight of F-16 fighter jets make their landing approaches to the Dane County Regional Airport when I looked around to see if any other aircraft were approaching.
Less than 2 minutes later, I saw, to the North, a white, but slightly yellowish oval approaching the airport just above the treetops. The oval was horizontal to the horizon. From the size, I judged it to be an approaching airliner a long way off, but one that seemed too far away to have been on its glide path that early. It wavered laterally and vertically just slightly, as it approached (these changes in position were slow and gradual). I estimate it was about a half mile out from the runway when it appeared to slow down. As it grew darker- to a grayish color – and very slowly shrunk in size, I realized that it had changed course and was traveling almost due Northwest. I could still see it bob and weave – but very faintly as it drifted off. I was on the phone with a Dane County Sheriff’s dispatcher as the object finally dropped below the treetops and I could see it no more. The object reminded me of a 20 – 30 foot Mylar balloon mimicking an ultra light aircraft in a moderate wind.
The dispatcher said she would notify the Sheriff’s Office in DeForest – the town over which I estimated it was when I lost sight of it. A coworker was the only other witness.
From my office window, on the East side of Madison, Wisconsin, I had just watched a flight of F-16 fighter jets make their landing approaches to the Dane County Regional Airport when I looked around to see if any other aircraft were approaching.
Less than 2 minutes later, I saw, to the North, a white, but slightly yellowish oval approaching the airport just above the treetops. The oval was horizontal to the horizon. From the size, I judged it to be an approaching airliner a long way off, but one that seemed too far away to have been on its glide path that early. It wavered laterally and vertically just slightly, as it approached (these changes in position were slow and gradual). I estimate it was about a half mile out from the runway when it appeared to slow down. As it grew darker- to a grayish color – and very slowly shrunk in size, I realized that it had changed course and was traveling almost due Northwest. I could still see it bob and weave – but very faintly as it drifted off. I was on the phone with a Dane County Sheriff’s dispatcher as the object finally dropped below the treetops and I could see it no more. The object reminded me of a 20 – 30 foot Mylar balloon mimicking an ultra light aircraft in a moderate wind.
The dispatcher said she would notify the Sheriff’s Office in DeForest – the town over which I estimated it was when I lost sight of it. A coworker was the only other witness.
No
Yes
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Off
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Madison
USA
15 minutes
15 minutes
43.07
-89.38
oval
WI
Occurred : 6/23/2008 14:15 (Entered as : 06/23/2008 14:15) Reported: 6/24/2008 3:17:42 PM 15:17 Posted: 7/5/2008 Location: Madison, WI Shape: Oval Duration: 15 minutes Characteristics: The object changed color, There were aircraft in the vicinity or aircraft chasing the object
White oval above treetops in Madison, WI - changed direction and color