NUFORC Sighting 58384

Occurred: 2007-08-03 20:00 Local
Reported: 2007-08-25 22:03 Pacific
Duration: 1 min approx.
No of observers: 1

Location: Riverside, CA, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aura or haze around object, Aircraft nearby

Bright, fast moving light passes overhead

About 2030 hours 08/03/2007 I was sitting on my back porch facing east, looking at the night sky. The sky was cloudless and unusually clear for my urban location. I had just watched several satellites pass overhead, when I noticed a light low in the southern sky. At first I thought it was another satellite however it seemed a lot brighter and faster than the ones I had just been watching. The object was going from South to North and appeared to be at great altitude. Numerous general aviation and commercial aircraft were visible at the same time. The object appeared to be self luminous instead of reflecting sunlight, as it had an unusual blue/purple tinge similar to an electric welding torch. The object passed almost directly overhead of my location, continuing North until I lost sight of it behind the roofline of my house. The light maintained a straight course the entire time I could see it, traversing the sky from where I first saw it to where I lost sight of it in approximately one minute or so. Shortly before I lost sight of the object it blinked out and lit up again in a regular pattern about three times, going dark for several seconds. I checked the Heavens Above site and could find no info about any satellites passing overhead at that time. I also watched the next few nights to see if the object would reappear and I did see the satellites I had seen that night, but no sign of the bright, fast moving object.

Posted 2007-10-08