2012-05-22 - Cape Fear, NC - Oval

Bright light off Cape Fear, NC

I was standing night watch with the owner of an 82’ motor yacht approximately 20 miles off the coast of Cape Fear, NC on a northeasterly course in the early morning of May 22, 2012 (1:00 am or so) when the sky lite up, we then spotted a light well up in the sky off our starboard bow, at arm’s length it was approximately a bit smaller than the first joint of my index finger. It was bright enough to light up a large portion of the sky in distinct bands behind its path, not a trail but bands that fanned out, it even lite up the ocean; very clear night, some clouds on the horizon, light winds, 2 to 4 foot seas with a new moon, sky was very dark. The light could have been between 20 to 40 miles away. It was moving very slowly away from us, to the left and downward with no change in direction or intensity and was visible for approximately 10 minutes. If I were to plot its course my guess would be it was moving in a north northwesterly direction. It disappeare! d behind a cloud off our port bow on the horizon still showing bands of light behind its path and after a minute or so the light went out with no sound. The owner took a photo with his iPhone and given the light conditions and the fact that we were at sea the photo is poor.