NUFORC Sighting 12208

Occurred: 1985-05-01 13:00 Local
Reported: 2000-03-05 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 10-12 sec
No of observers: 2

Location: Harrisburg, NC, USA

Shape: Light


Ultraviolent,High velocity,silent light emitting no vapor trail or atmospheric turbulence related vapor.

Pertinent iformaton- Physical: undistinguishable features due to light intensity. Trajectory: Level gradually climbing to vertice. Velocity: Est.mach 2 or greater. Weather: Clear/No clouds. Audio: None. Color: White. Direction: ENW. Trail: None. My mother and I were sitting outsid when we both notices the objest approaching from the east. It traveled to about our mid view then gradually climed as if piloted to vertical continuing streight up into infinty before we lost eye contact. The absence of clous that day allowed us a continuous view of the object. The light did not decelerate upon achievig vertical but seeed to accelrate oncagain as if piloted. I estimate considering the size and velocity of the object that it was between 12 and 14000 feet. With this considered I estimate the object to have been fairly small somewhere around 25ft. in diameter. The episode captivated us for quite some time and I emediately began to put the sighting through close scruitiny. Although I never found an answer of which I was satisfied. I had just seperated from the Air Force having spent five years as an aircraft mechanic. I worked F-4E and F-15E fighter jets and knew how high performance aircraft behaved when in flight. I knew that even during an FCF ( Functional Check Flight ) post maintenance flight a jet with no external tanks or pylons, in afterburner could not perform such absolute verticle accelerated maneuvers. Afterburners are visible as yellow light until over 33 thousand feet. This objects velocity to height ratio proved it to be near the ground in an atitudinal sense so there should have been at least turbulence related sound accompanied by vapor or if hot,residual particulate smoke. It was most clearly defined as a mirror reflection being shot against the sky. I had explored the possibilities of it having been a meteor with just the right entry angle to deflect it back out into space. This didn't hold water due to the physical anomolies associated with the sightng. If it were a meteor there would have been sound and vapor if not a sonic boom. Although gradual the upwrd arc to verticle was, in the grand scale of the atmosphere, quite short and erratic. At this velocity an aircraft would have surely have been destroyed due to overgee. Clearly this wa! s a uniq ue sighting that challenges the physical world as we know it. Since then I have had a newfound respect for those who believe. I look up much more often.

Posted 2000-03-07

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