2012-03-24 - Burien, WA - Fireball

Yellow fireball in the night sky travelling North to South, no flashing, no sound, no change of speed or direction.

While taking out the trash around 9PM, facing East, I noticed what looked like a ball of fire moving North to South (left to right, near the tree line) through the night sky. Living near an airport, I see aircraft coming and going all the time and am close enough to make out some of the details, especially flashing lights. My first thought was that this might be a jet with an engine fire. However, the object moved steadily past the airport at a rate faster than any of the other aircraft in the area. The object made no sound (I could hear other aircraft - but not this object). It also lacked any distinct navigation lights - just a steady yellow fire-like glow. It was this fact that seemed the most unusual - that an aircraft was traveling through commercial airspace without proper red/green/white lights.

I watched the object for a minute or two as it headed South toward the horizon, until it was too far away to see. I doubt I'll ever know exactly what it was that I saw, but am posting this account in case others witnessed the same thing.