NUFORC Sighting 43662

Occurred: 2005-04-14 22:00 Local
Reported: 2005-04-26 20:55 Pacific
Duration: Appx. 1 hour
No of observers: 4

Location: McDonough, GA, USA

Shape: Changing
Characteristics: Lights on object

Georgia UFO Group---Witness Debriefing-Changing Object





CASE BACKGROUND On 15April05 the Georgia UFO Group received a call on the 'Hotline'. The caller identified himself by name and address i.e. a middle-age disabled resident of McDonough Georgia (McDonough is about 26 miles SE of Atlanta). He stated that the previous night he, along with his wife and a neighboring couple, had observed a highly unusual object in the sky. He went on to describe the event (duration about one hour), indicating that he was pretty amazed by what they observed. After getting the basic details, this investigator instructed the Primary Witness (PW) to prepare a detailed account, plus a sketch, both to be forwarded to this writer. PW also provided the phone number of the second witness (W2).

This investigator phoned W2 and found him to be a retired firefighter, and afterwards a hospital security officer by profession. He provided basic details of the event and also agreed to forward an account and a sketch to GUFOG.

After receiving all of the above described documents on 18April05, this writer again spoke with the PW and W2 within a few days.

The final detailed account summary contains more information than the preliminary recap sent to GUFOG members in the group's bulletin.

WITNESS ACCOUNTs- SUMMARY PW stated that at about 10:00PM on 14April05 (and continuing until about 11:00PM) he observed what he thought was a "falling star" out of his bay window. When it did not briefly extinguish as expected, he went outside to observe more closely. Looking to the NW, he continued to watch a brilliant light which began to dart back and forth, up and down, zig-zagging at about 1/2 of the way off of the horizon. PW retrieved his binoculars (10X50) and continued to watch. Under magnification, he at first observed a "pancake-like" object which seemed to have red, blue, and silver lights on the bottom. During subsequent observation, it seemed to get closer and MOVE to give a view of DIFFERENT SHAPES......a triangle, later a shallow "C" shape almost like a boomerang, then a classic lens shape with a protuberance similar to a cupola, each profile displaying the aforementioned lights. PW indicated that the rapid movement reminded him of the electronic indicator on a heart monitor in a hospital, but after he thought on it some more, perhaps looking through the binoculars had caused some of that due to his natural hand and arm tremor.

After steady observation, the PW called his neighbor, W2, who also came out to take a look.

W2 told this investigator that he watched the object both with the naked eye and the binoculars. He estimated that it was about the size of a LARGE MARBLE held out AAL, at about 45 degrees off of the horizon, shaped like a TRIANGLE with blinking blue, green and silver lights. During his observations, he too noticed very rapid movements. PW added that it seemed to him that the object had a SHINY METALLIC-LIKE COLOR ON THE BOTTOM ALONG WITH THE CHANGING LIGHTS. During his observation using the binoculars he also noticed a GRATE-LIKE SURFACE at one point, which resembled "criss-cross" like openings.

W2 added that he got the impression that this object was beyond our atmosphere and would be HUGE in order to allow for what they observed.

Local conditions during the observation was a typical mild, clear, Southern spring night, tending to the cool 50's and 60's, with little or no wind noticed.

INVESTIGATOR'S COMMENTS This writer is intrigued by the many shapes attribute to one object over the course of an hour's observation. However there is a similar recent report on file from the same general area, to wit; On 3Aug04 at about 5:15AM, a Stockbridge Georgia resident (Stockbridge is about 8.7 miles NW of McDonough) reported to GUFOG via 'Hotline' that he was watching an UNUSUAL LIGHT back in the direction of MCDONOUGH. Said light darting up and down, back and forth, and then as the two of us spoke, he stated that it began to change into a BOOMERANG or V SHAPE. (See NUFORC entry: Stockbridge Georgia; Occurred 8/3/2004; Reported 8/10/2004; Posted 8/11/2004; Shape: Changing; Duration: Appx. 30 minutes) OTHER FACTORS In considering prosaic causes for this described event, celestial bodies were reviewed as should always be done for most night reports. The planet Jupiter is brighter than normal during early April05, estimated about -2.5 magnitude, but BY MID-APRIL is actually FARTHER away from the Sun and Earth than normal. Venus, due to it's current close proximity to the Sun, is not a factor herein.

GUFOG Special Advisor Mark Ausmus of Atlanta reviewed the sky for 14April05 between 10:00PM and 11:00PM via his "Starry Night" software. Mark found no dazzling bodies that might be brilliant enough, even if viewed through unusual atmospheric conditions, to produce anything remotely resembling what has been described. Jupiter is off to the SE.....Saturn to the west, but less than dazzling.....Sirius to the west, up about 30 degrees, but again not a suspect.....Capella to the NW, another non-suspect in this particular circumstance.

Witness descriptions obviously do not fit with any artificial satellites, nor meteors. Both the PW and W2 were found to easily recognize local commercial air traffic for exactly what it is.

Any citizens of Henry County or the south Metro Atlanta area counties with similar observations during the mid-April time frame can contact Investigator Tom Sheets at the Georgia UFO Group office in Fayetteville at 678-817-4555 or email at <<>>> GUFOG protects the identity of ALL witnesses.

Tom Sheets, Founder GUFOG....Mark Ausmus, S.A. GUFOG

NUFORC Note:

We express our gratitude to Mr. Mark Ausmus and Mr. Tom Sheets (Director) of the Georgia UFO Group, for sharing this case with NUFORC. PD


Posted 2005-05-11

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