NUFORC Sighting 20587

Occurred: 2001-11-18 04:45 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2001-11-27 14:47 Pacific
Duration: 1.5 - 2.0 min.
No of observers: 2

Location: Houston (Spring), TX, USA

Shape: Cylinder
Characteristics: Lights on object

Large Cylinder with six orange (low-glow) lights moving slowly within 3 miles of IAH, heading toward IAH (Airport)

My Wife, Brother-in-law and myself had gotten together at our house to observe the Leonids together. After watching the "show" for awhile, my Brother-in-law went to a Whataburger (or similar establishment which is open at that hour) because he had an appetite. I'd seen enough and went inside - I was tired. My Wife stayed outside, and several minutes later she came in the porch door asking me to come outside and see if I think this is part of the Leonids or not. She didn't say what her opinion was. I walked out, and she was pointing at it. At first I was focusing so far out that I seemed to just focus right past it. Then she said pointed again, more deliberately. At that time I saw it. At first it looked similar to some of the shots when that comet/meteor or whatever it was, broke up, in a line, then slammed one of our Planets a few years back. I then saw that this column of lights was not descending nor were any of the parts fading. Then I realized it wasn't a naturally ocurring event. It is best described as a series of six (what must have been) large lights, orange in color with a brightness I can best describe as "Low-Glow". It was moving slowly and silently from the West when she first saw it, then by the time I got out there it had already begun South East. We both agree that there was a series of six lights. She remembers round, but I remember them being that of an elipse. (Typical track and field) The lights all appeared to be spaced evenly front to back with the exception of the space in between the 3rd and 4th lights. There was space there, of a size which was appr. that of the lights themselves. Within that area, we each recalled dim, seemingly intermittent lighter-colored and smaller lights. Like a dim,....very dim sparkler. It was moving in such a way as to give the impression of an airliner in that, the lights were 1,2,3,4,5,6 all in a row with one being on the end it was travelling toward and on down the line, until one was at the trailing end. I must say,...it certainly is! analogo us to a passenger craft, although no body or surrounding craft could be seen. The way things were laid out however, a quick description of the light layout and the direction of travel was "similar to the tubular design of a fuselage". As we both stood silently watching,...it passed overhead at the appr. speed of a blimp,(no noise)with the look of a fuselage and the quietness of a bird. It was a starry night and no "structure" was observed. We live within 3 - 4 miles of Houston Intercontinental Airport. I grew up around Eglin AFB and Pensacola NAS, spent 9 years in the Military, (4 USMC / 5 US ARMY SF) and am VERY familiar with military aircraft to include winning awards for same. "THIS WAS NO CONVENTIAL AIRCRAFT." It flew silently over us, appr 1,500 feet to our North, (right over a certain Chevrolet Dealer very near I-45 and 1960, for you locals). It is proving difficult to gauge the height since I do not know the size of the lights, although I'd say it was probably several hundred feet long. It did not appear to vary in altitude or speed. The lights "seemed" to be large. It passed by us, heading toward the Airport, which is only 3 - 4 miles away (if that). Eventually, we lost sight of it due to light-pollution. and our roof. I am mailing sketches drawn by each of us without collaboration. The only addition I have is that my Wife did say that when she initially saw it (before I did) it seemed to "move like a snake", in that it was travelling level, then seemed to hit a bump which it simply made a quick humping motion with each of the six lights doing the same thing at the same spot. Like a centipede walking over a twig.

Posted 2001-12-05