NUFORC Sighting 08721

Occurred: 1999-08-12 02:30 Local
Reported: 1999-08-20 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 35 sec.
No of observers: 3

Location: Gold Canyon, AZ, USA

Shape: Formation


The objects seen were three points of light in a triangular formation at an extreme altitude which appeared directly overhead and moved in tight formation to the northeast at great speed.

We were having an all night party for the perseid meteor shower when we saw these objects. There were 7 people total but 4 of them left before the event took place. We live just outside the Phoenix metro area near the Superstition Mountains. It is fairly dark at our location and is good for stargazing. I am an amateur astronomer and a professional musician. I very often observe several satellites crossing overhead during the early evening after sunset and have become familiar with their appearance in relation to the stars around them. At approx. 2:30 am I was lying down in a lounge chair looking at the sky directly overhead. My wife and a friend were inside the house. I then saw three points of light appear out of nowhere directly above me at what I believe to be the same altitude as the satellites I regularly observe. The lights were bluish white in color and steady with no flashing or flickering. They were in a precise triangular formation. It is difficult to estimate the size of the formation except to say that they would fit within the shape of a fist held at arms length. When they first appeared they were stationary for a few seconds but then started moving toward the northeast of my location at the same speed as some of the satellites which move very quickly across the sky. The triangle was equilateral in shape, all sides being the same length. After it started to move I immediateley checked to see if it was a solid object or three separate objects. Since I could see stars behind the formation as it moved, I have to assume that they were separate objects. The triangle was pointed in the direction in which it was moving and stayed in tight formation as it moved. About 20 sec. into the event my wife and a friend came back outside and I pointed out the formation to them. They also observed the formation and watched it as is moved to the northeast and disappeared over the horizon which took another 15 sec. or so. In my opinion, the two most significant things about this event were; >first< They appeared out of nowhere as if someone had clicked on a light switch. I have no doubt that this took place because I was looking directly at the position when they appeared. There was nothing there except the stars before they appeared. >second< They moved very quickly across the sky very similar to the satellites which I have observed. My wife thought it could be a formation of military jets in formation. But I have observed jets at high altitude in the past and they definitely do not move as fast as these objects did. After the event happened, I tried posting a report on the Skywatch Int'l discussion page but was unsuccessful due to the fact that I wasn't officially subscribed. I have since posted this report on the CSETI discussion page of which I am a member. It wasn't until this morning that I realized that I could report this to NUFORC. I should also like to mention that just prior to the event I was trying out some of the CSETI contact methods. I can't say for sure whether this initiated the event but thought that it should be mentioned. I am convinced that what I and my wife and friend observed was at the very least unusual and worthy of reporting. - ((name deleted))

Posted 1999-08-30

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