NUFORC Sighting 10289

Occurred: 1999-10-20 19:00 Local
Reported: 1999-10-21 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 10 minutes
No of observers: 5

Location: Temple, TX, USA

Shape: Cylinder
Characteristics: Aura or haze around object, Emitted other objects, Changed Color, Aircraft nearby

Just after sunset saw bright glowing object in western sky at 30 deg. above horizon. Smaller bright lights appeared and disappeared near it.

Driving to church Wed. night with family just after sundown. I saw a bright orange glowing object at about 30 deg. above horizon due west. It was the color of the setting sun so at first I thought it was a sundog or jet trail reflecting sunlight. It was brighter than Venus would be in the same position and about 3 times as large. It was also elongated. I called it to the family's attention and we watched it for about 3 minutes until we arrived at church. My 9 year old daughter said she saw a small bright light shoot out of it. I just laughed it off, thinking still that it must be some atmospheric phenom. After parking at church we all got out of our vehicle to watch the object. It appeared to be moving very slowly up and to the south. Suddenly a small bright white light, similar to jet landing lights, appeared in the south and quickly moved to intercept the larger light at what appeared to be a very high rate of speed. My daughter said it was the same thing that had been "shot out" earlier. As the small light approached the larger light my wife exclaimed "It disappeared!" but I could see that the small light was actually at the front of the object, very close to it like it was matching the larger one's speed. After about a minute it did actually disappear.(maybe into the larger light) Then as light faded in the sky the brighter light started to fade and accellerate on the same course. It faded away about a minute later. If it weren't for the small bright lights I would be able to explain the whole thing away as natural phenom, but together it was unlike anything I've ever seen.

Posted 1999-11-02