NUFORC Sighting 51369

Occurred: 2006-07-13 08:45 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2006-07-16 05:13 Pacific
Duration: 20 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Christchurch (New Zealand), , New Zealand

Shape: Rectangle

Unidentified Object East Of Christchurch, New Zealand.

I was standing on my parents’ outside deck last week (13th or 14th of July, 2006) at approximately 8:45 a.m. New Zealand time. Unfortunately, I cannot be exact about the date because I was there on both days but it was definitely either the 13th or the 14th.

My parents’ house is on a hill in Christchurch, a small city situated on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. The house faces north but also affords excellent views to the east and part of the west due to the fact that it is built on a reasonably high cliff-face.

I had gone outside to have a cigarette when I noticed a moderately large sea bird gliding gracefully across the sky on an upward current of wind. I mention this detail only because of what the observation led to. The bird swooped up higher than I normally look and as I followed it with my eyes I noticed a strange and very small object very high in the eastern sky. I was immediately intrigued due to the fact that in the 35 years I have stood on that outside deck I have never once seen an aircraft at either that height or position. I have seen thousands of planes from that deck throughout my life. Most travel in a broadly north or north-eastern direction as they travel up the coast and the ones that head south or west are usually obscured from view. To see a plane in the eastern sky well off the eastern coast of the South Island of New Zealand is very unusual as there is basically nothing but the Pacific Ocean all the way to South America.

As I have already mentioned, the object was very high in the sky; certainly higher than any plane I’ve ever seen. In fact, I would never normally crane my neck back so severely if I hadn’t been watching the sea bird’s arc. I remember thinking to myself "Is this a large object far away or a small object somewhat closer," and I felt without hesitation that it was the former. I have excellent eyesight and I am convinced that what I saw was neither a conventional aircraft nor a weather balloon.

In shape, the object was rectangular more than anything and seemed to be slightly reflecting the morning sunlight as it moved upward and away. There was a thin layer of high cloud above and the object steadily climbed through it (or appeared to) and disappeared slowly over the course of around 20 seconds. It moved at a very gradual pace and had no other distinguishing characteristics. I must reiterate that the object was very small to the naked eye and that my gut feeling was that it was a very long way above me. The reflective nature of the object suggested to me that it may have been of metallic origin.

I want to stress the unusual nature of this sighting. I have never seen anything like it in 35 years. My initial assumption was that it must have been the space shuttle but I have not been able to establish whether it would have been viewable at this time and date from my location.

I’d love to know what that strange object was!

Posted 2006-07-16