NUFORC Sighting 36444

Occurred: 2004-04-19 07:15 Local
Reported: 2004-04-19 20:25 Pacific
Duration: 10 minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Knoxville, TN, USA

Shape: Triangle
Characteristics: Left a trail

Unusual contrail in early morning sky

What I saw cannot be classified as a "flying saucer", but it is definitely an unidentified flying object.

This sighting occurred this morning as I was driving home from work. It was a beautiful, clear morning with the usual crisscrossing contrails in the sky. As I entered the interstate, I-75 northbound, I noticed an unusual contrail rising vertically from the horizon. I pulled over, looked up through my windshield, and saw that the contrail continued straight up for about a third of the visible sky and then made a 20 to 25 degree course change to the left. I followed the path of the contrail until I could see that a small, triangular shape continuing to travel almost vertically into the morning sky was making the contrail. It looked like a rocket on a path into the stratosphere. I watched the object moving upward until its altitude was such that I could no longer see it. The contrail dissipated until only the initial vertical contrail was still faintly visible; it remained so for about another ten minutes. As I continued my drive homeward, I could see the vertical contrail straight ahead of me in the northern sky.

There are no large military bases in this area from whence a rocket might be launched. The only base is an Air National Guard base located to the south of the city. Is it possible that I witnessed a rocket launch that originated at a distant location? This was definitely NOT an airliner or a typical military jet. I see those almost every day and I am quite familiar with their characteristic contrails. This was quite different. I would appreciate an opinion as to what I might have witnessed this morning. Thank you.



NUFORC Note:

Contrail? PD


Posted 2004-04-27

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