NUFORC Sighting 11395

Occurred: 1999-04-23 02:30 Local - Approximate
Reported: 1999-12-14 00:00 Pacific
Duration: three seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Fargo, ND, USA

Shape: Triangle
Characteristics: Lights on object

Brief horizon to horizon motion by three inter-weaving craft.

At 2:30 am on the night of April 23rd, 1998, I was lying on the ground outside of my college dorm building staring at the night sky. My body was lying feet to the west, head to the east. The cloud cover for the sky was patchy but at about 40-50%. That night there must have also been a bright moon because I clearly remember a particularly intense luster to the clouds. I was talking with a friend when I noticed out of the corner of my right eye (to the north) movement that really only registered consciously but not so that it drew my attention. I did realize that the motion was extremely fast and for some very puzzling reason, I felt compelled to look to the south in the night sky as if I knew that it was moving so fast that to attempt to turn my head and look at it would mean missing it and instead I looked south to allow it to travel through my field of vision where I could track it with my eyes as it entered. What I saw, albeit brief, to this day is the most profound event I have ever witnessed. I was able to see the objects for no more than three seconds in the sky. They entered my vision heading south at what I would estimate at between 800-1000 mph based on the change in degree of my field of view and the time in which the change occurred. The objects were as follows: there were three light blue or grey light triangles with only the borders illuminated. That is to say that the objects looked like isoscelene triangles made of flourescent light bulbs. The objects appeared to be dodging in and out of the clouds from my vantage point. I can not, however, state with any certainty how far away they may have been or if they were above or below the clouds. It was especially difficult to tell because the illumination of the objects was not unlike that of the clouds in intensity. But, not only did the objects appear to be moving in and out of the clouds but they moved as though they were completing repeated figure-eights with each other at a very constant rate. I remember being scared deeply by the exact nature in which the objects moved with each other. I guess it scared me because I had never seen anything as geometric, fast, or precise in motion any where in the natural world around me. These certainly were not birds or aircraft. Any aircraft moving this fast would have created at least a sonic boom not to mention either a contrail or engine noise. Almost as soon as the event was recorded in my sight, it was over. I jumped to my feet and started swearing quite loudly and asking anyone of about six people within about two feet of me if "they saw that". I was struck dumb with disbelief having seen something that to this day has left me with no logical answers. Here is some important info about the area. Fargo is, apparently, no stranger to the sighting of aerial phenomena as I had found out after checking out some other reportings and found that North Dakota itself is a hotbed. The area of Fargo itself where I was when I saw this event occur is not more than one mile south of the 119th Strategic Bombing Wing and an Air National Guard base. Grand Forks, ND is just 80 miles north and is home to one of the largest air bases in the United States. Often in the area, one can see large aircraft landing, committing touch-and-go's, taking off and rolling flight patterns over the area. I am not, however, even going to begin to kid myself into believing that what I saw was military aircraft or any kind of commercial aircraft. The speed was simply astounding not to mention the risk of flying three aircraft in a weave-pattern in and out of each other at ANY speed. And finally, background on me. I graduated from that college (NDSU) in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Archaeology with a specialization in cartography and linguistics. My minor degree was Psychology. I am an accomplished Martial artist and guitar instructor and I have a very well paying job working as a systems analyst in Minneapolis. I am not any sort of cuckoo or permanent day-dreamer. I have nothing to gain by reporting this event. I apologize for waiting over a year and a half to report this event but the very mention of the phrase "I saw something last night I can't explain..." got me glances from the wierdest of my colleagues. I hope that this report helps your efforts. God Bless and take care... A Believer. PS Due to the nature of my report, I hope that you understand my reluctance to transmit my address and name. You can, however, contact me via the email address below and I will respond as I am possible. Thank you...

Posted 1999-12-16

© 2023 National UFO Reporting Center. All rights reserved. Use or reproduction within any application without written consent is prohibited.