NUFORC Sighting 04895

Occurred: 1998-11-16 22:40 Local
Reported: 1998-11-19 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 6 second
No of observers: 2

Location: Auburn, WA, USA

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

small fast ball of orange light moving east to west above the treetops.

I am a radar Air Traffic Controller with the FAA. I was on my way home and my brother was with me. I had just turned off Highway 18 near S.I.R. in Kent, WA. When I rounded the turn on the exit ramp I saw a very bright, round ball of orange light. It was small from my view and at treetop level. I have no way of judging the distance because it was just hazy enough to block out any terrain refferences or landmarks. The object appeared at about 15 degrees above the horizon, at treetop level (from my perspective). The object was south of my position. It moved at a high rate of speed from East to West. I observed it for about 6 seconds then it was gone. When I made the turn off the highway I was headed West, the light was moving past me, not in the opposite direction as when you pass a light on a pole. About a minute after this I turned on The Art Bell Show and Peter Davenport was playing a clip from a woman who described almost exactly what I just saw. Please do not use my name as my supervisors are not a openminded about these things as we are.

Posted 1999-01-28