NUFORC Sighting 67931

Occurred: 2009-01-08 20:10 Local
Reported: 2009-01-09 07:17 Pacific
Duration: 45 minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Lincolnton, NC, USA

Shape: Light

Bright light in western sky that did not look normal.

Around 20:10 hours I went outside my home to walk my dog. I had been walking my dog about five minutes when I looked up and saw a very bright light in the western sky. As I continued walking my dog I noticed that the light had gained in altitude but did not seem to be moving forward; it only appeared to be moving vertically. I continued walking my dog and watching the light. The area of the light is in the flight path for airplanes entering and exiting Charlotte-Douglas Airport in Charlotte. At first I thought it may be an airplane, but I watch airplanes every night and this light was different. It was much brighter than any airplane I have ever seen and it remained stationary except for the time that it gained in altitude. As I started walking back to my home with my dog the light very rapidly lost altitude and began to travel horizontally toward the north until I finally lost sight of it. The entire sighting lasted from 20:10 hours until 20:45 hours. There were many airplanes in the sky that night and the difference between the two was very obvious. There were no other lights (red, blue, etc.) visible that I could discern with my eyes, only a very bright white light. The light did not appear to be pulsating or rotating. That is all that I know about this event. End of statement.

NUFORC Note:

Probable sighting of Venus, we suspect. PD

Posted 2009-01-10