NUFORC Sighting 7898

Occurred: 1999-05-15 18:27 Local
Reported: 1999-05-26 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 7-10 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

Shape: Disk
Characteristics: Aura or haze around object

Fast Silver Craft over Atlanta May 15th 1999. Saw craft through binoculars. Speed near Mach 3-4. Craft seemed to self-illuminate. Daylight.

I was sitting outside my studio in the sun reading a magazine. After a while I put it aside and leaned back looking at the blue sky with some great clouds moving around in no particular direction. I wore Vuarnet Skilynx sunglasses which has a deep yellow filter that enhances the sky beautifully. Half an hour later I discovered two dark objects floating upwards on the distant sky to the north. I brought out my binoculars (Bushnell 10x50 wide angle, 341 ft at 1000 yrds) and could see two sets of three black dots that seemed to "dance" upwards on the sky. Figured in the end that these must have been some kind of balloons. As I was following these objects with my binoculars there was suddenly something that streaked across my field of vision. Something bright. I quickly followed the "thing" with my binoculars and managed to keep my eye on it for 7-8 seconds. It looked like some sort of silver colored self-illuminated craft that was shaped like a wedge, and it had darker flowing lines running along the ... fuselage. Front to back. The front end was pointed and the rear was somewhat rounded. It looked like a formstudy from design school. Furthermore it had no visible wings. Nor did it give any exhaust. There was no sound from the craft. The color was silvery and shiny - even with the sun behind it. It lacked normal shadows. The speed I can only estimate to Mach 3-4. Maybe somewhat faster. It flew in a straight line from north to south. Its altitude was around 10.000 to 15.000 feet. It eventually went behind some clouds, but did not come out on the other side. My location was 1/2 mile north of Atlanta Waterworks on Antone Street, and the event took place west of me. I have also submitted a recreation of the event in a photo-digital format to the UFO Reporting Center.

Posted 1999-06-23