I saw a UFO last night...

[thatguywhojuggles]

I was driving through Portland last night and noticed something in the night sky. I pulled over and got out of my car to get a better look. I saw three objects. One was a light that just stood still low near the horizon. I am guessing it was Venus, but if it was, I have never seen Venus so bright. The second object was some lights that were moving through the sky, most likely an airplane. The third object, however was the one I could not identify. It was dark, and the only thing that definitely stood out were the red lights on the ends of it. It looked like a huge airplane wing--but JUST the wing, and no body. And it moved very slow, and didn't make any noise at all. I thought it was a glider of some sorts, but couldn't be sure.

It most likely was a large airplane flying low, and I just couldn't see the rest of the body of the plane. Don't they usually have lights on parts of the plane other than the underside of the wings?

 

[Ashles]

I hope you protected your anus.

 

[Hitch]

A B2 bomber?

Dark, just a wing -- no traditional fuselage. Designed for stealth, so probably quieter than other aircraft. Fairly large, so may have been farther away than it seemed.

I don't know what the likelihood of seeing one in the area you were in is.

 

[wipeout]

The third object, however was the one I could not identify. It was dark, and the only thing that definitely stood out were the red lights on the ends of it. It looked like a huge airplane wing--but JUST the wing, and no body. And it moved very slow, and didn't make any noise at all. I thought it was a glider of some sorts, but couldn't be sure.

It most likely was a large airplane flying low, and I just couldn't see the rest of the body of the plane. Don't they usually have lights on parts of the plane other than the underside of the wings?

Interesting. I see dozens of planes every day and I don't think normal planes have red lights at the end of the wings. Other colours, yes, but not red that I remember.

What flying ojects have red lights? Anyone know? That could be an important clue.

 

[tommyz]

I saw a UFO as well...

About a year ago, I was at McDonald's eating dinner, when I had pulled some mysterious brown colored, square-shaped fried object from my container of french fries. It wasn't a potato, nor was it any kind of meat. I broke it in half to see what was inside, and the object appeared to be some kind of edible sponge-like material (though of course, I sure as heck wasn't going to eat it!)

So technically...yeah. I say a UFO (Unidentified Fried Object) as well. Any guesses as to what on Earth could've been among my McDonald's french fries???

 

[arthwollipot]

I saw a UFO the other night as well. It was at sunset, and the sun was glinting off what appeared to be a globular object. It had no winds that I could make out. It hovered for a short while, then flew towards me. That was when I realised that it was a helicopter.

Identification made!

 

[thatguywhojuggles]

Re: Re: I saw a UFO last night...

Interesting. I see dozens of planes every day and I don't think normal planes have red lights at the end of the wings. Other colours, yes, but not red that I remember.

What flying ojects have red lights? Anyone know? That could be an important clue.

This is kinda what it looked like to me... it just looked like a flying wing seen from the underside, with two red lights on the ends of the wings.

If there was more to the shape of this (like a airplane body) I couldn't see it.

The strangest part of it was how low and slow it seemed to be flying. It was headed in the direction of the airport, so I am assuming it is an airplane or glider of some type.

 

[tommyz]

Re: Re: Re: I saw a UFO last night...

All puns and joking aside (even though my story about the Unidentified Fried Object found at McDonald's IS indeed TRUE), here's my own personal experience with a UFO (and seriously, this time, I am referring to an Unidentified Flying Object) along with my critical analysis of it, and a critical analysis of YOUR experience as well.

Back in 1989, I was walking home one night on a dark and wooded roadway at about 9:30pm. It was a crystal clear, star lit night on a cool spring evening (I think it was April or May). I heard a small plane fly by (and I don't mean a commercial airliner either, but one of those small private planes that sound like it's being run by a lawnmower engine). As I turned my head upward to glance at it, I suddenly saw a mysterious yellowish-amber colored light erratically move about in a certain part of the sky, like a shooting star, only it wasn't. I immediately thought to myself, a lighting bug? No wait...those don't come out until June/July. Hmm...a shooting star? More like a dancing star if anything; shooting stars move steadily in one direction, more or less in a straight line. So it can't be that. What about a helicopter? An airplane? No wait...no piece of machinery made by man could possibly make maneuvers like that (it appeared to make some rapid 90 degree turns that not even the world's most sophisticated helicopter could pull off).

My analysis of this phenomena? Until about the mid to late 90's when laser pointers became popular, I was convinced that it was a bonafide UFO. But I'll never forget getting a laser pointer for the very first time, and playing around with it. As I pointed the beam against a wall and moved the tiny red dot about in a most erratic manner, it immediately struck me like a ton of bricks: "Oh my God! This is JUST like the UFO I saw in 1989!"

I then put two and two together, and ultimately theorized that
it was nothing more than a technically elaborate hoax years ahead of its time. Much like David Copperfield making the Statue of Liberty Disappear, or walking through the Great Wall of China, etc. Here's how I arrived at my conjecture:

(A). The dancing "star" appeared in only a SMALL SECTION of the sky; it wasn't bouncing from one part of the horizon to the other.

It would be very difficult to point and maneuver a laser beam across the ENTIRE atmosphere, upon a two dimensional surface. But a two dimensional surface in the sky, you might ask? How can such a surface of ANY kind of material be supported in mid air?

Here's how:

(B). I DID hear a small plane fly by, though I didn't see its lights on.

I'm sure you may or may not have seen planes fly along a shoreline carrying banner advertisements behind them, tied to their tailwing. I would surmise that if the banner were long and wide enough and made of a dark, solid material...and if the plane were circling around with its lights off ---that it would be theoretically possible to project an erratically moving laser beam upon the banner and thereby create an "illusion" of a UFO. Of course a "true believer" would totally ignore the sound of the plane engine and wouldn't even come anywhere close to the kind of analysis I just made.

As far as YOUR situation goes?

By virtue of the fact that you had mentioned the lights were headed in the direction of the airport is a clear give away to some kind of earthly, man-made piece of flying machinery, although there are other questions left for me to ask to come to a more thorough and complete analysis.

First off, it's reasonable to suspect that there was nothing more noticable about this stucture other that these red lights. But how else would you be able to notice any more to this structure in pitch black darkness? Unless, of course, there was a full moon that night which would've made the structure more noticable. Was there? Or is there a lot of light pollution which would've also made the outline more visible? More importanly...did you hear any kind of aircraft engine whatsover? If so, I would immediately suspect an aircraft of some sort. If not, a glider indeed.

Please reply. Thanks Walter!

 

[Patricio Elicer]

Re: Re: Re: Re: I saw a UFO last night...

I then put two and two together, and ultimately theorized that
it was nothing more than a technically elaborate hoax years ahead of its time

Well, at least you were lucky enough to see something that puzzled you for a long time. As for myself, I've never ever seen anything abnormal up in the sky, and you don't know how much I'd like to. Of all the "paranormal" phenomena, it is UFOs what have captivated my imagination and sense of awe throughout the years. In fact, I was a hard core believer in UFOs when I was in my late teens. And the reason is simple: there's nothing impossible in the idea that we are being visited by alien beings.

Although I've never witnessed a UFO incident first hand, I've listened to testimonies I have no reason to doubt about. A cousin of mine, a very educated person, told me that on a clear moonlit night he saw a silent craft overhead, at a very low altitude, he could not identify as any human-built machine. Everytime I dispute his sighting with some mundane explanation he says... "forget it, forget it"... "I know I saw that alien thing, and nothing will convince me of the contrary"....

Unfortunalty, all I can do is wonder what he saw...

 

[thatguywhojuggles]

Re: Re: Re: Re: I saw a UFO last night...

First off, it's reasonable to suspect that there was nothing more noticable about this stucture other that these red lights. But how else would you be able to notice any more to this structure in pitch black darkness? Unless, of course, there was a full moon that night which would've made the structure more noticable. Was there? Or is there a lot of light pollution which would've also made the outline more visible? More importanly...did you hear any kind of aircraft engine whatsover? If so, I would immediately suspect an aircraft of some sort. If not, a glider indeed.

Please reply. Thanks Walter!

I should first point out that I use the term UFO to mean exactly what it is. A flying object I am unable to identify. I believe 100 percent that it was a man made craft--just to keep that clear.

However, it was a strange looking craft. I was able to make out the outline of the wing (like in the crude drawing I made) and nothing more than those red lights on the bottom. The other smaller airplane that was in the sky seemed to be following it/flying with it in some way.

After it disapeared from view beyond the trees, I decided since it was moving so slowly I might try to follow it. I got back in my truck and did manage to follow it for a very short while. Eventually it got out of my range, and I just shrugged my shoulders and continued on to my friends home.

 

[-42-]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: I saw a UFO last night...

I should first point out that I use the term UFO to mean exactly what it is. A flying object I am unable to identify. I believe 100 percent that it was a man made craft--just to keep that clear.

However, it was a strange looking craft. I was able to make out the outline of the wing (like in the crude drawing I made) and nothing more than those red lights on the bottom. The other smaller airplane that was in the sky seemed to be following it/flying with it in some way.

After it disapeared from view beyond the trees, I decided since it was moving so slowly I might try to follow it. I got back in my truck and did manage to follow it for a very short while. Eventually it got out of my range, and I just shrugged my shoulders and continued on to my friends home.

----

Richard Porter from Mansfield, Woodhouse reports a sighting at
23:30 on April 15, 1998. He saw a low flying UFO with 3 very
bright lights at the front moving very slow. It made no sound
until after it past when we heard a very deep rumbling sound,
unlike any plane he had ever heard. When overhead the 3 lights
turned off and we could see 4 red lights in a diamond shape.

-------

McGregor, MN Other 1.5 hours
Very large, slow moving, wing shaped craft was chased by 3 F15's. 4 white lights, 4 red lights.

------

Report #: 136
From: UFO INFO SERVICE
Date Sent: 08-12-1986
Subject: BANGSTON LAKE, MI

CASE TYPE: CE I
DATE: 01 AUGUST 1986
TIME: 2230 HOURS
DURATION: 15: MINUTES
WITNESSES: TWO
SOURCE: NATIONAL UFO REPORTING CENTER
-------------------------------------
In Kalamazoo County, two witnesses observed a huge object shaped like a stingray. It had four huge red lights and one smaller white light and was moving at a slow speed. It was estimated to be the length of a football field and quite wide. No sound was heard and estimated distance was 300 feet. It was observed for about 15 minutes. The witnesses were out fishing on the lake at the time and could hear people on shore saying what's that. The object was over the lake but did not go over their heads. They saw the four red lights first and as it got closer they could see the object itself. Both had inflamed eyes the next day.


ps: how are your eyes?

?

 

[Soapy Sam]

tgwj- Could it have been a blimp? The only one I ever saw at night was actually lit up from inside and looked quite spectacular.

Unlit, I imagine it might look like a slow flying plank.

They are not particularly common. You might be able to check with CAA to find if one was in the area.

 

[richardm]

I saw an illuminated blimp flying near Reading once. A brilliant sight, I stopped my car to watch it for a while.

A couple of days later the paper had reports of the "UFO" and subsequent strange happenings

 

[lynne]

tgwj- Could it have been a blimp? The only one I ever saw at night was actually lit up from inside and looked quite spectacular.

Unlit, I imagine it might look like a slow flying plank.

They are not particularly common. You might be able to check with CAA to find if one was in the area.

There are lots of lighter than air technolgies - blimps and weather stations and all sorts of weird long thin shaped flying machines. Some are destined to go in the upper atmosphere, but they have to be tested down here first. Commercial secrets, so not generally known or talked about - nothing as exciting as alien conspiracies, but the prototypes and failed designs all need to be tested down low first.

Check out the Lockheed Martin web site, and look for High Altitude Airship:

www.lockheedmartin.com/

Could that have been what you saw?


Lynne

 

[wipeout]

Re: Re: I saw a UFO last night...

Interesting. I see dozens of planes every day and I don't think normal planes have red lights at the end of the wings. Other colours, yes, but not red that I remember.

What flying objects have red lights? Anyone know? That could be an important clue.

Translated into English and made semi-intelligent, what I'm trying and failing to say here is I remember seeing that planes usually have different colours at the end of wings (red for left and green for right) but I that don't remember seeing any with only red lights at the end of the wings. The white lights they have are by far the more easy noticed anyway. Doh.

 

[wipeout]

Re: Re: Re: I saw a UFO last night...

This is kinda what it looked like to me... it just looked like a flying wing seen from the underside, with two red lights on the ends of the wings.

If there was more to the shape of this (like a airplane body) I couldn't see it.

The strangest part of it was how low and slow it seemed to be flying. It was headed in the direction of the airport, so I am assuming it is an airplane or glider of some type.

Thanks for the picture. They always help.

I think it's a standard rule that the red-left/green-right wing lights are used so that pilots can tell the direction the other plane is flying. Only having red lights would violate this rule so this might suggest it wasn't a normal plane.

Something I've noticed at night over where I live is that a pair of tall cranes have only red lights on them to warn low flying aircraft. They don't flash and aren't very bright.

From your description of movement, though, the lights being a crane obviously doesn't seem to fit, unless the movement somehow matches with rotation or your own movement.

 

[Moose]

Re: Re: I saw a UFO last night...

Interesting. I see dozens of planes every day and I don't think normal planes have red lights at the end of the wings. Other colours, yes, but not red that I remember.

What flying ojects have red lights? Anyone know? That could be an important clue.

All planes, actually. (Ships too for that matter, but I think we can summarily rule those out at this time.) You're apparently used to seeing planes from their right sides.

The pattern of anticollision lights on ships and aircrafts are as such

red      green    (usually on wingtips)

    white            (usually on tail)

[edit: Dang, I knew I should have read the rest of the thread.]

 

[Soapy Sam]

I saw an illuminated blimp flying near Reading once. A brilliant sight, I stopped my car to watch it for a while.

A couple of days later the paper had reports of the "UFO" and subsequent strange happenings

Advertising Hutcheson Telecom , the owners of Orange, I'll bet.
It's almost certainly the same one I saw- in daylight over Maidenhead and lit up at night over Slough Trading Estate. Must have been about five or six years ago.

 

[patcall]

Re: Re: Re: I saw a UFO last night...

All planes, actually. (Ships too for that matter, but I think we can summarily rule those out at this time.) You're apparently used to seeing planes from their right sides.

The pattern of anticollision lights on ships and aircrafts are as such

red      green    (usually on wingtips)

    white            (usually on tail)

[edit: Dang, I knew I should have read the rest of the thread.]

This is the same pattern that are used on ships.

 

[richardm]

Advertising Hutcheson Telecom , the owners of Orange, I'll bet.
It's almost certainly the same one I saw- in daylight over Maidenhead and lit up at night over Slough Trading Estate. Must have been about five or six years ago.

Right sort of time, right sort of area! So yes, it could well have been, although I must admit I couldn't make any writing out - too far away probably.