NUFORC Sighting 31201

Occurred: 2003-09-03 23:05 Local
Reported: 2003-09-03 22:49 Pacific
Duration: 20-30 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Coal Valley, IL, USA

Shape: Formation
Characteristics: Lights on object

Three objects spread apart near the constellation of Draco and travel in tandem until they ultimately grow faint and disappear.

As I often do, I was looking at the stars just after 11p.m. on Sept. 3, 2003, essentially reviewing my knowledge of the heavens. I also had a small fire that I was tending to nearby, the remnants of an old tree that had fallen days earlier. I was looking at the northwestern sky, noting that it was remarkably clear this evening. I began to trace out the constellations of Hercules and Corona Borealis, when I noticed that within the adjacent constellation of Draco three previously motionless objects, that I had assumed where stars, began to spread apart in the sky! These objects resembled stars in relative size, magnitude, and color; however, they spread apart, briefly, and began to travel in tandem across the sky! I watched them travel across the sky in a triangular pattern until the three objects grew faint and disappeared. I have seen satellites in orbit, they move faster across the sky. I have never seen a satellite orbiting close to another. Certainly, they would not grow faint and disappear. I have seen high flying planes in the sky, as I live near an airport, however, I have never seen them fly this high or this close, nor did I see more than one light on any of these flying objects. Their flight lasted 20-30 seconds by my best judgment, I knew immediately that I had seen something extraordinary.

NUFORC Note:

We wonder whether the witness may have observed the three satellites, which are thought to be part of the U. S. Navy "NOSS" system. However, those satellites remain in the same apparent formation, and do not spread apart. Hence, if, in fact, they moved, relative to one another, they probably were not satellites. PD

Posted 2003-09-04