NUFORC Sighting 43089

Occurred: 1986-12-31 21:00 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2005-03-19 23:47 Pacific
Duration: 15-20 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Houston, TX, USA

Shape: Formation


Formation of four star like lights appearing and reappearing.

I do not have an exact date or time of this event. It could have been between mid 1986 and mid 1987, so I arbitrarily assigned it December 31, 1986. The time of 9pm or 2100 hours local is also approximate.

The precise information was recorded in a log book that I used to record astronomical measurements in and was later stolen in a home burglary. And I can only guess the above dates because of other information that was recorded before and after the log book was stolen. Also the Houston area is not much of a seasonal place so that does not help my recollection.

The following is the best of my recollection.

The formation of lights appeared in my northwest sky at about azimuth 315 and about 30 degrees altitude up from my horizon. The formation was 4 white lights parallel to the horizon appearing as two pairs of lights with about twice the distance separating the pairs as was between each light in the pair. The brightness of these lights were around 4th magnitude star lights and appeared as such - point light source stars.

The lights were steady and not twinkling. The angular width of the formation was about 1 degree. This formation of lights changed location in the sky within an area of about 4 degrees. I based the approximate degree measurements using the width of the index finger at arms length to be about 1 degree. The formation moved from its initial location down about 1-1/2 degrees and to the left about 1 degree, and then from that location moved about 2-1/2 degrees to the right and down about 2 degrees. The lights did not move but instead disappeared and reappeared in a different location as noted. These were the only movements I can recall and then they disappeared completely.

When the lights changed location it was and instantaneous movement meaning the lights did not disappear for some time then reappear. This was in fact what caught my attention to begin with so I really don't know how long they were doing this movement before I noticed them. There were no other noticeable objects or lights in this area of the sky. There was no other apparent motion with the lights. There were no sounds. There was no noticeable object associated with the lights. The formation of the 4 lights never changed its shape. I assumed these lights to have been at a very great distance away from my location. There were clouds in that area of the sky and I viewed the event through an opening in the clouds that stayed open during the entire event. This was all viewed using only unaided eye vision - no telescope or binoculars, etc... The event duration was probably about 15-20 seconds.



NUFORC Note:

Witness indicates that date is approximate. PD


Posted 2005-05-11

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