NUFORC Sighting 04587

Occurred: 1997-07-28 23:30 Local - Approximate
Reported: 1998-10-12 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 6 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Wayzata, MN, USA

Shape: Fireball
Characteristics: Aura or haze around object, Left a trail, Changed Color, Electrical or magnetic effects

Boating on Lake Minnetonka in MN on warm summer night, skies clear, fireball appeared travelling from East to West at about 60 degrees from the Zenith.

Fireball appeared to cross the sky from East to West. A booming sound was heard, but it was muffled. The fireball started out as yellow, then turned orange, with a green tail spreading out about the width of a full moon. The green color dissapated slowly and appeared to phosphoresce as it faded. Total time streaking across the sky was about 6 seconds. The phosphorescence lasted an additonal 4-5 seconds.

I tried to get the attention of the other boater before it faded, but, insofar as he was turned northward, and the object was at about 60 degrees up in the Southern sky, he did not turn and focus in time to see the whole thing. The boat engine did sputter and almost quit when the object crossed the sky, but ran o.k., thereafter.

Posted 1998-11-01