NUFORC Sighting 55353

Occurred: 2007-02-18 20:15 Local
Reported: 2007-02-19 02:44 Pacific
Duration: 20 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Slana, AK, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Aura or haze around object

02/18/07, 2015 AST, a pale green light was observed travelling along the southern slopes of the Alaska Range in eastern central Alaska.

On February 18, 2007, 2015 AST, I observed from inside my cabin a pale green light that seemed to rise above Noyes Mountain 25 miles east of my location. Initially I thought it was a bright star, but as it appeared to grow in size and move, I got a pair of 10x binoculars and went out on my porch to view the light.

It appeared to descend down into the Suslota Creek drainage slightly below a 6400ft ridge that runs east to west on the north side of the drainage. Several times the light was out of view because of the treeline. The light then started to rise as if following the terrain and slope of Suslo Mountain 5 miles east north east of my cabin. The altitude above ground level could not be determined, however, as it passed over the top of Suslo Mountain the light was close enough to the ground that the light green color reflected off the snow cover.

The light then descended down toward the Tok Highway and seem to level off approximately 500-800 feet above the ground, traveling westward, then turned back to the northwest and began to ascend diagonally across the face of the mountains to the northwest of my cabin. After reaching an altitude that was at least 1000 ft. above the mountains, the light moved off to the west north west. Observation was lost at this time as the light was obscured by the mountains.

The total time that the light was observed was 20 seconds. Weather at time of observation: wind 330 at 8kts, temperature -8F, baro 29.35, visibility cavu. The straight line distance the light traveled while observed is approximately 35 miles. There was no sound associated with the light, no satelite tv interference, nor did my housedogs or sleddogs react to the light. No distinct object shape or structure was seen, just a pastel pale green glowing light, similiar to a ball of St. Elmo's Fire or ball lightning. All turns and movements appeared to be deliberate, smooth and co-ordinated, and the speed at which it travelled appeared to be constant as best determined by this casual observer. No abrupt changes in speed or direction were noted.

With nothing to compare size with in the darkness, I would estimate from the reflected light in the snow cover of Suslo Mountain and at the distance of closest observation of 3.5 miles that the light was 30 to 50 ft in diameter. From the east-west direction that the light was traveling to the point observation was lost, it was obviously and deliberately terrain following along the southern slopes of the Alaska Range.

It was by chance that I was sitting at my cabin window and glanced outside at the time of the initial sighting, had I been elsewhere in the cabin, it would not have been seen and there was no other unusual occurance or sound that would have brought it to my attention. It would have passed totally unobserved.

The observer is a 60 year old male, 40 year resident of Alaska, former Coast Guardsman, a license vessel Master, and Commercial Pilot with fixed wing and rotorcraft ratings.

NUFORC Note:

We spoke with this witness via telephone, and we suspect that he is an exceptionally well qualified witness. PD

Posted 2007-02-24