NUFORC Sighting 32972

Occurred: 2003-11-09 18:05 Local
Reported: 2003-11-09 19:22 Pacific
Duration: 15 - 20 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Rocklin, CA, USA

Shape: Light

Brilliant white light that pulsated, enlarged, pulsated again, faded and moved away.

At 6:05 PST, November 9, 2003. I had gone outside onto my patio which faces eastward and was observing the moon. I then glanced up to Mars and saw it clearly. But about 5-10 degrees from Mars toward South, (nearly in line with Mars) was a brighter object that immediately caught my attention. My first thought was it was a star, but brighter, whiter, and larger than Mars, and so close to Mars, and I wondered what star is that? It appeared stationary, and then in a second it pulsated, with the white light becoming brighter, more brilliant, then pulsated again, slightly dimming some of the brilliance, then pulsated-enlarging again, to even larger than my original sighting, and then in another second or so, it began to fade and then I was aware of its movement away (southward) and slightly upward, and it faded out to a pin light before disappearing from my view. My observation from beginning to end was approximately fifteen-twenty seconds. Except for a few clouds scattered in the eastern sky, the sky was completely clear in that direction, around and above the object.

This object was not within the normal airplane flight pattern, which I often observe evenings as planes go into Sacramento from the North, (I observe those to the North of my position) or other planes that fly over. I have never observed a plane in that position. I heard no sounds, except some ducks, and because of the geography here, sounds normally carry far, whether it be a plane or helicopter in the area, the train several miles away, or coyotes, or cattle. I believe what I saw was not a normal aircraft of any kind.

Posted 2003-11-11