NUFORC Sighting 32194

Occurred: 2003-10-10 20:05 Local
Reported: 2003-10-13 19:54 Pacific
Duration: 12-15 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Grand View, ID, USA

Shape: Light

Bright light above Mt. Home AFB

I was outside preparing a fire for guests to sit around for my sister's birthday gathering. I noticed a bright white star-like object moving through the trees above me, roughly 45 degrees above the horizon, moving from SouthEast to NorthEast in what looked like the sky above Mountain Home Airforce Base. I backed out from under the trees to get a better look. It was as bright as Mars is at first, in fact at first I thought it was Mars, and as it moved it increased in brightness about 4 or 5 times its initial brightness, or magnitude, then turned sharply, roughly 75 degrees from the plane of the horizon, and proceeded up through the constellation Cassiopeia, dimming as it disappeared in the distance. The entire event lasted approximately 12 to 15 seconds. Living as close as we do to Mt. Home AFB, I am quite familiar with aircraft lights and configuration, and this exhibited none that I am familiar with. We are about 8 miles from the airbase as the crow flies, and even at that distance one can discern the noise of the various jet aircraft stationed there while in flight. This object emitted no sound. It left no trail or contrail. And Mars was still there, so it wasn't Mars. Nor have I observed any aircraft performing a maneuver of this nature living as I have this close to an airbase.

Posted 2003-10-15