NUFORC Sighting 23123

Occurred: 1997-05-01 22:00 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2002-06-03 13:26 Pacific
Duration: 20 seconds
No of observers: 2

Location: State College, PA, USA

Shape: Flash
Characteristics: Lights on object, Left a trail

Bright flash, long and slow disipation of a thick white trail

It was one minor/strange sighting. I just remember my friend and I being outside (this happened about 5 years ago) and there was a big white flash in the sky, definitely not lighting, so we looked up and immediately saw a giant white streak go across the sky. Unlike a shooting star, the tail remained and slowly faded away. There was the flash, a shooting and then the thick and bright white tail that lasted a good 10-15 seconds before disappearing. We didn't really see any particular shape, but it was definitely not lighting followed by an asteroid. It was much larger and slower than something burning up in the atmosphere.

NUFORC Note:

Date is approximate. Twenty seconds' duration would probably rule out, we believe, virtually all meteors. We will ask the witness to attempt to establish the exact date for the incident. PD

Posted 2002-06-12