NUFORC Sighting 42665

Occurred: 2005-03-02 20:13 Local
Reported: 2005-03-02 20:50 Pacific
Duration: 1 hour +
No of observers: 2

Location: Galatia Area (Harco), IL, USA

Shape: Unknown
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aura or haze around object, Aircraft nearby

Bright blue-white light in the sky.

I was driving westbound on Il Route 34, 2 miles west of Galatia at 20:13 Central time zone, I checked my watch when it happened. A brilliant blue-white light appeared approximately 30 to 40 degrees above the horizon to the west-southwest. I continued to observe it as I turned south on Harco Road. I spent 10 yrs+ in the USAF, I know what landing lights look like, & this wasn't landing lights. I turned west on Brown Road to follow it. I stopped near Somers Church Road; a perfectly dark, country gravel road, and got out to observe it. It went into a cloud bank that was forming to the west, and backlit the entire cloud formation. It was similar to the auroras I saw in Alaska, but it had a pale, blue-white appearance, not to mention being in the western skies. I looked up to observe the sky over me, which was moonless and clear except to the west, and saw five aircraft (with FAA approved illumination) at a very high altitude heading towards the lighted area, and two commercial jets heading north and southwest at a lower altitude. I got the heebie-jeebies and set a new land speed record towards home. I got my grandmother to go outside, and she seen the lighted cloud bank too.

I went inside and checked the NWS radars at Paducah KY, St Louis MO, and Evansville IN. All showed ground clutter, but the Evansville radar showed several red (heavy) returns over Williamson county to the west, which I saved and printed out. I also looked at the GOES visible and infrared which showed nothing.

I don't know what it was, but I know it wasn't any aircraft that I have seen, and it wasn't a meteor or Venus.

NUFORC Note:

Possible sighting of Sirius. Just a guess. PD

Posted 2005-04-16