NUFORC Sighting 46488

Occurred: 2005-09-22 19:30 Local
Reported: 2005-09-25 08:29 Pacific
Duration: >5 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Cornville, AZ, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Aura or haze around object, Left a trail, Emitted beams

Bright white light emitting circular beam fills horizon over Mingus mountains

5 degrees above skyline over Mingus mountains looking west from HWY 89A 5 miles from Cottonwood coming from Sedona and almost in line with Jerome night lights a white silver beam of light appeared that first seemed like the searchlight of a helicopter except the light was more dense and powerful. The ray that span northwards soon had a very clear and distinct edge to it as if the light had an edge. That edge was defined and perfectly circular. I stopped the car to see if the object in the sky was moving. The light source seemed to be gradually and slowly shifting to the south about horizontally, ie. away from the beam that was emitted. Over the next couple of minutes the beam kept on growing until it encompassed the whole horizon to the west, forming a perfect half circle in the sky. The source of light then suddenly vanished, as if it extinguished itself rather than disappeared, leaving a clearly defined wake or line in the sky where it had traveled. The half circle filled with light kept on expanding and loosing its intensity over the next few minutes. Over the horizon above Jerome the same glow of silvery light could be seen for a while longer with streaks or strands of cloud like substance. In the Verde valley over Cottonwood an unusually bright and white light also shone, filling part of the valley. These last 2 observations did not have the outer light definition described in the first occurrence. I went back to the same spot where I had observed this phenomenon the following night to confirm the 2 sources of light, one over the horizon above Jerome in the direction of Prescott valley and above Cottonwood could not have beeen attributed to light pollution from these cities.

The most remarkable aspect of these observations were the intensity of the light(s), the clearly defined circular edge of the beam and its expansion into a full half circle across the horizon. I had a male passenger in the car who witnessed the same as I did and several vehicles stopped along the highway to observe this ocurence. The planet Mars was also above the horizon that night and the source of light moved just below it before disappearing. The whole phenomenon lasted about 15 minutes. No photos were taken but I will email a sketch of what I witnessed.



Posted 2005-10-11

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