NUFORC Sighting 34180

Occurred: 2003-12-27 16:30 Local
Reported: 2003-12-28 17:05 Pacific
Duration: 1 hour
No of observers: 2

Location: Doylestown, PA, USA

Shape: Fireball
Characteristics: Lights on object, Left a trail, Aircraft nearby

looking to my west towards a setting sun, I saw a large fireball leaving a wide trail of white smoke. It was moving slowly, easy to see

Looking west as the sun was setting and using 8x binoculars that I happened to have in my car, I saw what looked like a fireball, leaving around and behind it a massive trail of white smoke. The white trail of smoke was similar to that from a jet plane but much wider. I got a very good look at it for about 20 minutes till it disappeared over the horizon. I have know idea how far away it was, but my first thought was how large it was and how long I was able to watch it slowly travel out of sight. I was very surprised I did not read or see anything on the news, particularly my local news outlets. Many others had to have seen this.

NUFORC Note:

We wonder whether it might have been a contrail. PD

Posted 2004-01-17