NUFORC Sighting 12081

Occurred: 2000-02-21 19:43 Local
Reported: 2000-02-21 00:00 Pacific
Duration: < 10 sec
No of observers: 0

Location: Corvallis, OR, USA

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

Neon green fireball trailing orange-red tail visible less than 10 seconds, moving NNW above Corvallis, OR.

Witnessed a neon green fireball about the size of a pencil eraser held at arm's length as it traversed about 30-40 degrees of sky. Soundless in its passage and no sonic boom. Heard jet aircraft engine sounds from the N approx. 30 seconds after the object disappeared moving toward the NNW. Travelling in a straight line, it trailed a red-orange tail. It did not leave any contrail or sparks in its path. It did not appear to to be giving off sparks or breaking up. Total length of object and colored trail equal to a fist's width at arm's length. Out for a cigarette and watching the night sky, the object caught my peripheral vision as it brightly flared into existence to the SE of Corvallis about 70 degrees above the horizon. It flashed overhead passing to the East of Corvallis and winked out about 30 degrees above the northern horizon. Total viewing time was less than 10 seconds. Just a question of being in the right place at the right time. J. Allen Hynek was my astronomy professor at Northwestern University in 1963 and I've enjoyed Peter's reports over the years. Keep up the good work. Hope this helps.

Posted 2000-02-23