2009-07-03 - Harpenden (UK/England) - Fireball

An aircraft on fire in a star shape seemed to travel across the sky above Hapenden.

At approximately 11:45 on 3rd July 2009 I saw a fireball type object travel across the sky above Harpenden.

There were about 50 people in the front garden of the Inn on the Green Public House, Harpenden (a number of people around me had noticed it as well) when I noticed a fireball shaped object appear from a North Westerly direction and travel East until it disappeared into the distance. It was a bright orange colour. There was only 1 object and it was about the size of a large aircraft travelling at about 10,000 feet. At first it looked like an aircraft of this description in a ball of fire. The fire was not round in shape but more of a star shape. The light did not change shape and it didn't twinkle or flicker like fire but did glow like fire. There was no trail left by the light. It was also brighter at the centre of the light as if the ‘aircraft’ was burning then the light was radiating out in the star shape. At this stage I would not have been surprised if it had lost height and crashed but it stayed at a steady height as it travelled across the sky. It took about 10 - 15 seconds from when I saw it to disappear into the distance. It seemed to travel faster than an aircraft would. If a large aircraft travels at 500 mph then I would say it was travelling 800 - 900 mph. It was a very clear night with no clouds and it was not obscured from my view at any point. I have never seen anything like this before and at no point did it make any sound that I could hear.