Burning disc observed over Rockford, IL
My wife was watching a satellite move across the sky from the West to East while finishing cooking on the grill. We’ve spent many a night satellite watching over the years so it is second nature to peer upwards any chance we get. She called me outside to see a different object in the sky. It had a definite disc shaped and appeared to be on fire. It was moving from the South to North approximately 90 degrees above horizon at highest point. Color was a very bright orange and it did appear to be on fire. It moved at a constant speed, no wavering, and at a pretty good rate. Sky was clear. Altitude undetermined, but if I had to guess I would say 3,000 to 5,000 feet if not higher. Size of object was about the size of a 737 at that altitude, but again object was disc shaped. I have an aviation background and I immediately looked for but did not see a contrail, no noise, no strobe or recognition lights. No glowing, or trailing debris, or smoke trail like you would ! see with a meteor or boloid. No sign of a balloon attached, like one of those party balloons that are sent aloft via a candle.
This was no candle and balloon. Object was way too bright, too big, and moving too fast for wind conditions, which were calm to light out of the South East. It appeared to be on fire because of it’s color and the way it looked around the edges, changing in shape ever so slightly like a flickering flame, but the brightness and intensity were constant throughout the object and never dimmed the entire time in view. Duration of sighting was approximately 7 to 10 seconds. Did not have horizon to horizon view of object due to trees and houses, only about 60 degrees of it’s travel was observable if object indeed went horizon to horizon.
I saw a similar object last summer and sent in a report at that time.
My wife was watching a satellite move across the sky from the West to East while finishing cooking on the grill. We’ve spent many a night satellite watching over the years so it is second nature to peer upwards any chance we get. She called me outside to see a different object in the sky. It had a definite disc shaped and appeared to be on fire. It was moving from the South to North approximately 90 degrees above horizon at highest point. Color was a very bright orange and it did appear to be on fire. It moved at a constant speed, no wavering, and at a pretty good rate. Sky was clear. Altitude undetermined, but if I had to guess I would say 3,000 to 5,000 feet if not higher. Size of object was about the size of a 737 at that altitude, but again object was disc shaped. I have an aviation background and I immediately looked for but did not see a contrail, no noise, no strobe or recognition lights. No glowing, or trailing debris, or smoke trail like you would ! see with a meteor or boloid. No sign of a balloon attached, like one of those party balloons that are sent aloft via a candle.
This was no candle and balloon. Object was way too bright, too big, and moving too fast for wind conditions, which were calm to light out of the South East. It appeared to be on fire because of it’s color and the way it looked around the edges, changing in shape ever so slightly like a flickering flame, but the brightness and intensity were constant throughout the object and never dimmed the entire time in view. Duration of sighting was approximately 7 to 10 seconds. Did not have horizon to horizon view of object due to trees and houses, only about 60 degrees of it’s travel was observable if object indeed went horizon to horizon.
I saw a similar object last summer and sent in a report at that time.
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Rockford
USA
10 seconds
10 seconds
42.27
-89.06
disk
IL
Occurred : 5/18/2012 21:30 (Entered as : 05/18/12 21:30) Reported: 5/18/2012 9:11:37 PM 21:11 Posted: 5/29/2012 Location: Rockford, IL Shape: Disk Duration: 10 seconds
Burning disc observed over Rockford, IL