NUFORC Sighting 58496

Occurred: 2007-08-27 20:14 Local
Reported: 2007-09-01 09:12 Pacific
Duration: 2 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Toronto (Canada), ON, Canada

Shape: Other
Characteristics: Left a trail

I have five photographs of a black pitchfork shaped object moving from top to bottom of the moon with two vapor trails

Aug. 27, 2007 at 8:14 p.m.

I was preparing my camera equipment to record the eclipse scheduled for 4:51 a.m. on Aug. 28th 2007. As I was setting up my tripod in my solarium which faces southeast over Lake Ontario in Etobicoke, I looked up at the moon which was very “yellow” and noticed something “black” on the face of the moon. I asked my husband if he could see it from the livingroom where he was sitting and he said yes he could. I reached for his camera which was closest to me and had a 100-400mm lens on it to get a good look. I was amazed at what I saw! At the top of the moon but closer to the right side rather than the middle, there appeared to be a black pitchfork shaped object shooting downward toward the bottom of the moon leaving two stream vapour barrier in its trail. I was able to get about 5 shots in before the object reached the bottom of the moon and once leaving the light background of the moon it appears to be nothing more than a puff of black smoke. Upon reviewing the images I shot I realized that in one of the early shots I took of the moon the “pitchfork shape” was at the very edge of the moon prior to me being aware that it was there. At first I thought maybe this image was of a satellight that was set to record the eclipse but I have spoken to a few amature starwatchers and they agree that they have never seen anything like this. I would really appreciate learning what this object might be.

Posted 2007-10-08