NUFORC Sighting 32701

Occurred: 1989-01-07 17:32 Local
Reported: 2003-10-27 19:07 Pacific
Duration: 20 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Fort Collins (north of), CO, USA

Shape: Light

Stationary brilliant variable white light masquerades as planet Mercury.

I was driving my regular route as airport shuttle driver from Cheyenne, Wyoming to Fort Collins, Colorado on Interstate 25 and had one passenger onboard -- a civilian employee of the USAF on his way from Warren AFB to Vandenberg AFB, California. At 17:32 I noticed a brilliant motionless white light about 20 times brighter than the star Sirius some 15 degrees above the southwest horizon. I first thought it must be an airplane with its landing light on. After 10 seconds, the light reduced to the magnitude of Sirius and stayed like this for several minutes. Finally, I mentioned the object to my passenger, whereupon it immediately increased its brightness to 20 times Sirius for 10 seconds, reduced again becoming momentarily invisible, and then returned to magnitude of Sirius. It held this appearance from 17:37 until 17:52, when it set behind a cloud bank in the position of the planet Mercury.

At the time of this sighting, I was 27 years old, attending college in Laramie, Wyoming, had served four years in the U.S. Navy, and was a private pilot. I had also had training in basic astronomy and astrophysics. We had left Little America in Cheyenne at 17:00, and then checked for passengers at the Holiday Inn, which we left at 17:10. The shuttle vehicle was an 11-passenger Ford van owned by Airport Express of Fort Collins, Colorado.

Exactly 10 and 12 days later, I saw more Unconventional Flying Objects, so that this report is the first in a cluster of three. I will submit individual reports for each.

NUFORC Note:

Date may be approximate, although witness does not indicate that fact. One of three seemingly credible reports from same source. Please see report for Laramie, WY, for 01/17/89. PD

Posted 2003-10-31