NUFORC Sighting 38453

Occurred: 2004-08-03 03:33 Local
Reported: 2004-08-03 12:24 Pacific
Duration: more than 30 minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Tempe, AZ, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Aircraft nearby

bright light in eastern sky above treeline

Early this morning (3:33 exactly) I witnessed a very bright light in the sky. I was looking out of a window in our house which looks out onto the eastern/south-eastern portion of sky, because I had noticed an unusually bright light in the sky through the blinds. My first thought was that it was an airplane heading in our direction, as we do experience airplanes and helicopters flying over and over this section of sky on a frequent basis, but this light did not seem to move from it's position at all. I would say it was similar to seeing Venus at it's brightest from our home in Colorado recently, only in the East, instead of the West, and much brighter and definitely bigger. It was just above the line of trees which grow a couple of houses away.

I know the exact time, because I was awakened out of a peaceful sleep by a very loud, sudden impact noise (like the sound of a stomp on the roof, or a big door slamming closed) and immediately heard a low-flying airplane approaching, it zoomed directly past our southern facing bedroom window, low enough that I could see it's lights, going from the west to the east. I looked at the clock and it read 3:33. this is when I went into the ajoining room, sat down in a chair at our computer, and witnessed the light through the window. I was up for little more than a half-hour, all the while keeping a loose eye on this light, which in all this time, never moved from it's position. Just before going back to bed, I looked out of the eastern-facing window once more, and noticed for the first time that the light was flashing, or twinkling somewhat like a star would do, but this object was much larger than any star I've ever seen in the sky! In fact, I have never seen anything like this before at all. Around 4:00 I retucked the kids into bed, and went to my own bedroom. Out of curiosity, before lying down myself, I looked out the southern-facing window of our bedroom, to see if I could spot this light, and I just barely could. It was as bright as ever, and still seemed to be in the same position. I have no clue as to how long it had been there before I saw it, or how long it stayed after I went to bed, but I did not sleep well after that.

This morning, it was all I could think about, so I immediately got online, and have searched for a couple hours for anything showing the star/planet configuration for last night and today, with no luck. finally I decided to come here, and see if anyone else has reported seeing anything similar. I am sure others must have seen the same object. Perhaps it was something easily explained. My ear will be glued to Coast to Coast tonight, though, in the hopes of hearing someone else's report.



NUFORC Note:

We suspect that the object the witnesses were looking may have been Venus. PD


Posted 2004-08-11

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