NUFORC Sighting 159687

Occurred: 2020-07-29 21:30 Local
Reported: 2020-10-02 10:46 Pacific
Duration: 10 minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Commack, NY, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Emitted other objects

White light that alternated in intensity and emitted sparks.

On 7/29/20 at about 2130 EST I observed what at first I took to be a satellite. It was a small point of white light similar in appearance to a dim star. I initially observed it WNW of my location, at about 45 degrees elevation. What drew my attention to it was that it increased in intensity to about the brightness of an average star, then went dim. After about 10 seconds, it increased intensity to about the brightness of Venus, then went dim again. I estimate that each “pulse” took about one second to complete from off, to on, to off again. It was much slower than a strobe or blinking light that one would see on conventional aircraft, and was a gradual increase and decrease in intensity.

The object continued alternating this high/ low pattern about every 10 seconds. It was moving slowly from its WNW location across the sky, almost overhead, heading approximately SE, and was difficult to track as when it was not pulsing it was not visible to my eye. As it rose from about 45 degrees to about 80 degrees, it “pulsed,” and also appeared to emit white sparks. It very much had the appearance of a sparkler type firework, but the sparks were only a few in number and lasted for a brief second. I initially thought the object had changed course due to the appearance of the sparks, but soon again saw it continuing SE repeating the pulsing pattern.

I eventually lost sight of it when it was approximately SE of my position at about 45 degrees. I estimate that the object was visible to me for approximately 10 minutes. It is possible it was a military aircraft of some sort, but I have never seen or known them to behave this way.

Posted 2020-11-05