NUFORC Sighting 05859

Occurred: 1999-03-03 22:51 Local
Reported: 1999-03-11 00:00 Pacific
Duration: < 1 sec
No of observers: 1

Location: Gilroy (5 miles So of), CA, USA

Shape: Fireball
Characteristics: Aura or haze around object, Left a trail

Very bright white/light-green light going East-West seems to expand suddenly (explode ?) and vanish in a fraction of a second. Trajectory going down at about 15-20 degrees inclination. Object itself not seen, only trail of light observed. Total length (at arm length) about 1 - 1 1/2 in.

Note: This is a resubmission of earlier report with date and time corrected. While driving North on Hwy 101 in California, 5 miles So of Gilroy (about 40 miles So of San Jose), a bright light attracted my attention. Was about 45 degrees above horizon and slightly on the left of the road, traveling from right to left but descending at about a 15 degree angle. It first appeared as a very bright trail which quickly formed a blob with raggedy edges about four time the width of the original trail. Looked like it was exploding. Then everything disappeared. There was no residual trace forward. Seen at arm length, the trail (tail?) was about 1/2 inch in length, the "blob" about the same in diameter. There was some light clouds but the object light was very bright and could have been seen through them. The duration was very short, one second at most and object was gone by the time I called it to my wife's attention. Could have been satellite/rocket reentry, but direction seems wrong. Could be a meteorite.

Posted 2001-08-05

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