NUFORC Sighting 59316

Occurred: 2007-10-18 21:10 Local
Reported: 2007-10-19 02:25 Pacific
Duration: 3 mins
No of observers: 2

Location: Gillingham (UK/England), , United Kingdom

Shape: Light

Large and Bright light with Steady Course Vanished

Where I live there is a large amount of overhead commercial traffic. Both myself and partner generally stand at our back door to smoke, as we prefer not to smoke in the house. We are both sensible, yet open minded people. I am ex Royal Air Force so Im pretty used to seeing many things up in the air (I stress that Im not or ever have been a pilot). We both take great delight in watching the skies at night and have witnessed many things but never have I considered any of them to be a so-called UFO.

Neither I nor my partner could identify it, so I have labelled it as such.

The event is quite unremarkable and possibly has a valid explanation, I was however left slightly confused after the event but by no means will I exagerate anything witnessed.

The object in question had no shape (round shaped if any) or visible form other than a very bright white light. It was spotted initially whilst my partner and I were facing South. With any aircraft in the area its very easy to determine distance and height, and additionally you can hear each individual aircraft. This however, was substantially different as it was near impossible to ascertain its real height or distance, which struck me as odd given the intensity of the light. Initially it looked considerably low for any type of aircraft, and I had also assumed at first that these must be lights at the front of an aircraft but its heading (approximately a NW to SE direction) did not confirm this. The object moved in a straight line without any deviation but moved rather slowly. (again I discounted the fact that this could have been a shooting star due to the speed of travel). We both would have discounted this totally had it not been for the end result of this light. After a couple of minutes the intense light seemed to diminish. Not so much fade out but seemed to get smaller very quickly to the point that it resembled a faint and distant star, until at last it vanished. During this time its movement did look constant.

I wouldnt have considered submitting this if it had not been for the latter detail, and of course the other facts brought together. I have discounted fireworks also, given that the course and apparrant height was linear and never deviated.

Posted 2007-11-28