NUFORC Sighting 137358

Occurred: 2017-11-20 16:00 Local
Reported: 2017-11-21 20:16 Pacific
Duration: 3 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: San Clemente, CA, USA

Shape: Sphere

Dazzling reflective white spherical object

At 4:00PM on Monday 11/20/2017, I was driving through San Clemente, CA. on US Highway 5. Passing Exit 78 (Camino de Estrella), I noticed an aerial object in the northwest sky, brightly reflecting the soon to be setting sun. The object was northwest of me, at about 30 degrees above the horizon, perhaps over San Juan Capistrano. I observed this object without interruption for about three seconds, during which time it appeared motionless in front of the distant clouds. The apparent shape was like a brilliant white bb with an apparent diameter of about 2mm. My viewing was interrupted by a tree passing through the line of sight, after which the object was nowhere to be seen. The nearest METAR data from John Wayne airport (about 25 miles northwest of my position) recorded visibility as 10 statute miles and a few clouds at 15000 feet. If the line-of-sight distance to the object was 5 miles, then it would have had a diameter of about 75 feet and been at an elevation somewhat above 10,000 feet.

Its near-instantaneous disappearance eliminates the possibility of either a reflective balloon or aircraft.

Posted 2017-11-22