NUFORC Sighting 18285

Occurred: 2001-07-02 20:10 Local
Reported: 2001-07-02 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 5 sec.
No of observers: 0

Location: Victoria (Canada), BC, Canada

Shape: Sphere
Characteristics: Aura or haze around object

white,hazy,circular,looked too large and fast to be a satelite,appeared indistinct even through binocculars

I was looking through 8x40 binoculars, trying to spot a skydiver who was about to jump out of a light aircraft that I had observed high overhead. The sky was bright and clear. I was looking west in the direction of the sun, which was below the roofline of my house. My first impression was that I was seeing a white pilot chute and that the main chute wasn't opening. The speed and direction wern't right for a parachute and skydiver and the object faded and disappeared from sight. At first I thought it might have been a satelite (it still could), but why could it be seen in brite daylight? I suppose from my angle of viewing, it could have been bottom lit by the sun. Also, it's velocity across the sky was a lot faster than the satelites I've observed.It took approximately 5-8 seconds to travel through about 15 degrees. At first it appeared to be falling and then disappeared in a northerly direction.

NUFORC Note:

We spoke with this witness, and found him to be a quite credible source. PD

Posted 2001-08-05