NUFORC Sighting 01956

Occurred: 1996-01-31 20:15 Local
Reported: 1997-01-21 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 5 min 30 sec
No of observers: 1

Location: Buckhead Ridge, FL, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Left a trail

SUMMARY: I observed an object apparently making a controlled reentry or entry into the atmosphere. It was the size of a medium sized star and fairly far away.

The object caught my attention by leaving a bright yellow and orange trail down toward earth at about an attitude of 40 degrees above the horizon which lasted for about 20-30 seconds before it disappeared from the highest point of origin to the lowest. It was round and tiny like a medium magnitude star and appeared at the time of the orange trail's disappearance and proceeded to move about directly East and perfectly parallel to the horizon, not appearing to lose any altitude at all. I noted the time at the initial observation and it travelled eastward for 5 minutes before it disappeared over some high cirrus or haze.It appeared to be NNW of me, perhaps over Orlando around a hundred miles away.I checked and there were no shuttles up that night. I am a private pilot, a scientist and a weather spotter, with a degrees in Psychology and Education as well as having been recognized by Who's Who for outstanding career achievement. I was advised to record this for posterity.

Posted 1998-03-07