NUFORC Sighting 16442

Occurred: 2001-02-10 00:10 Local
Reported: 2001-02-12 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 5 sec.
No of observers: 0

Location: Seattle, WA, USA

Shape: Circle
Characteristics: Lights on object

Looking straight up, I saw a rectangular object with only a faint outline travelling East to West, no noise, no flashing lights but dimly outlined against the darkerbackground. This was in my view about 6 seconds. The second sighting happened within 8 seconds behind the sighting mentioned above and this was an armada of at least 50 to 100 lights moving in the same path from the East to the West at the same apparent speed of the first sighting. The lights were like looking at a well lit city from an airplane where all lights were of the same color and intensity. The formation was a wide angle V taking at least a 10 degree angle of arc, tip to tip. There were more lights in the apex of the formation and these tapered off at the tips. All objects were in a tight formation, travelling at the same speed. the lights of were of equal brightness. Ther were a few objects in front of this formation and a few behind the formation travelling at the same speed and direction. No noise, a silent passing. Sighting lasted 6 seconds.

NUFORC Note:

This witness is known to us, and we consider him to be quite credible. We spoke with him about his sighting, and he was able to describe it in objective fashion, and with considerable detail. NUFORC has received multiple sightings of "armadas" of small lights, in some cases in precise, regular formation, and in other cases in irregular and changing formation. We do not have an adequate explanation for these events. A similar event is reported over Ontario, Canada, on February 09, 1913, which is well documented by astronomers, ships' officers, etc.. No adequate explanation for that event, termed the "Cyrillid Meteor Shower," has ever been put forth. Please see article by John O'Keefe, NASA/Goddard, in about a June 1960 (??) article in "Sky & Telescope." Please see other sighting reports for this date. PD

Posted 2001-02-18