NUFORC Sighting 89127

Occurred: 2012-05-18 14:30 Local
Reported: 2012-05-22 14:56 Pacific
Duration: 15 seconds
No of observers: 2

Location: Fort Collins, CO, USA

Shape: Sphere

Small, round black object buzzed observers on top of Arthur's Rock in Fort Collins, CO. Trajectory was straight and very fast.

A friend and I hiked to the top of Arthur's Rock in Lory State Park (Fort Collins, CO). After reaching the top, we heard a whooshing noise (described by my friend as sounding similar to the noise she heard incoming mortar rounds make when she was deployed to Iraq). We looked up and saw a small black round object coming at us from the southwest. It is hard to say how big it was because it happened so fast and we do not know how far away it was, but we think it was maybe 1-2 feet in diameter. It was on a perfectly straight downward-angled trajectory and was moving MUCH faster than a bird could possibly fly. It passed over our heads, possibly within 30 yards or less, and continued down towards the road we drove in on. We expected to see an explosion or puff of dust, but we never saw an impact. It appeared to change direction and curve slightly upwards, and then we lost sight of it. My first thought was that someone shot a missile or RPG at us; my second ! thought was that it could have been a meteorite. But I would expect to see an impact from any of those things. I think we were very lucky we weren't knocked off of the rock! My friend and I are military officers (medical).

Posted 2012-05-29