NUFORC Sighting 152392

Occurred: 2020-01-06 22:00 Local
Reported: 2020-01-06 20:17 Pacific
Duration: 5 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Sapelo Island, GA, USA

Shape: Fireball
Characteristics: Left a trail, Emitted other objects

A fireball expelling intense gas trail & debris flew for 4 to 5 minutes across coastline of Sapelo Island, Georgia.

Facing Blackbeard Creek on North side of Sapelo Island while on the beach, light appears on Atlantic side of island to the southeast and through trees, so was a low flying anamoly. Began as intensely orange red fireball, then a wide birth of flaming tail appeared behind it tthat was unlike any regular meteor. This had a gas like trail that grew and continued on steadyish path straight across horizon and then the wider girth of the fire behind it dissipated but continued to put off a long arc of something like debris continually falling below it and was visible because of the intense ball of light illuminating the arcing debris. At this point it appeared to be "off course," flying more upward and away from coastline. We were both surprised that you could still see the ball of light, as after tail vanished, it just continued to burn brightly but faded out of sight. This was a 4 to 5 minute movement. As it got beyond sight another reddish ball of ligh! t appeared further directly east of us that was more orange in hue and it hovered and then dropped towards ocean and quickly vanished much like a normal meteor. As we had time to really study it, we pondered whether or not this was a missle launch, a falling satelite but there was absolutely no sound associated with it at all.

Posted 2020-02-07