mirror-textfiles.com/ufo/UFOBBS/3000/3087.ufo

SUBJECT: ARIZONA SIGHTING                                    FILE: UFO3087



PART 2



Msg #: 458   Area: FidoUFO         Sent: 05 Dec 92  01:00:00
 From: Rick Snydersmith 
   To: Steve Gresser 
Topic: ARIZONA SIGHTING   
 
 On 12-01-92 STEVE GRESSER wrote to ALL... 
 
 SG> Background: I am in Scottsdale, Arizona, which borders (mostly) 
 SG> Phoenix's eastern side.  I live in the northeastern end of Scottsdale. 
To 
 SG> the north are mountains, 
 
First Question, what is the distance to mountains. 
 
 SG> Also, I am a pilot.  Suffice to say, my wife and I are familiar with 
 SG> aircraft lights, helicopter lights, military aircraft lighting on a 
 SG> general scale, stars, meteors elevated and a variety of other natural 
 SG> phenomenon that are highly visible over the Phoenix valley area 
 
In short, an informed, experienced observer in a familiar locale. Good. 
 
 SG> Report (well, it's about time!): Last night, at about 10:17pm MST, I 
 SG> was in the street in front of my house (E/W double cul-de-sac) w/no 
 SG> cross streets). I was  going to tell my sister-in-law something in her 
 SG> van, so I walked E towards it, turned towards her (N) and spotted 
 SG> something out of the corner of my eye (W). 
 
Weather report please? Cloud density, ceiling, visibility, storms in area, 
temperature, etc. Ambient noise levels estimates, street lighting in area, 
in the direction of the sighting, Major highways in the direction of the 
sighting. 
 
 SG> still wanted to watch it.  Then I realized that the object was not 
 SG> lighted like any aircraft I have ever seen, and the lights were flashing
 
 SG> without a sequence that I could register (rotating beacons, position 
 SG> lights, etc. have a pattern to them - usually "flash, flash, flash" or 
 SG> "flash-flash, flash-flash, flash-flash" - but this had neither) and the 
 SG> lights were brighter than even the closest aircraft that I had seen - 
 SG> but VERY sharp. 
 
By not lighted like any aircraft, what do you mean, exactly? 
Please estimate the number of lights visible? Were they points or diffused? 
What configuration were the lights in, if any, was noticeable. 
Was the main body lit, or were there only flashing beacons? 
Did the intensity vary or were they steady state? 
could you see light beams radiating from the object? As in landing lights 
or were they more light marker beacons? 
Compare the brightness to a full moon, the sun, etc. 
Did you notice shadows being cast? 
If so in what color were they (grey to black), 
what direction and what was the approximate length of the shadow. 
 
 SG> It was pointed maybe thirty degrees down in the direction of movement, 
 SG> and it moved more quickly than a helicopter, and VERY smooth movement, 
 SG> but not as fast as, say, a low-flying jet. 
 
What was the over all shape? 
By pointed do you mean the end was pointed or sloped in that direction or
that 
the craft was slanted at an angle toward the direction of the flight path? 
Could you see and protrusions from the body? 
What is your estimate of size? 
What is your estimate of the distance at closest approach? at first sight? 
at last sight? 
Was the speed closer to the speed of a helicopter or the low-flying jet? 
By low flying I assume you mean one in a landing approach, is this true?
 
You state smooth, define to best of ability what made it seem smooth. 
 
 SG> seen but not noticed - "That son-of-a-***** is ROTATING! 
 
What gave you the impression of rotation? 
 
 SG> As my wife looked at it, it began to turn northeastwards. 
 
What was the turn rate in degrees per second? 
What would be the estimate of distance at the time of the turn? 
 
 SG> and she decided to dash down to the van my sister-in-law was in and 
 SG> chase it.  I was about to lose sight of it, so I ran down too 
 
Distance to house, at this time 
How long after losing sight until you were again position to see the last 
position the object was seem and till you had a clear view of the direction 
of travel? 
Did you or your wife notice any animal activity of an unusual nature 
"all neighborhood Dogs barking, etc" 
 
 SG> On first sight, it appeared to be an overly-lighted aircraft, kind of 
 SG> long, with many lights on it.  But the lights looked more light arcing 
 SG> electricity than lights, and were exceptionally sharp and bright. 
 
By arcing, do you mean the color was like and arc welder, very white? 
Did it flicker or seem to jump? What do you mean by sharp? 
did the light create pain in your eyes, If so how long had you been 
outside away from normal interior lighting? 
 
 SG> My wife and I were both wearing our glasses. 
 
Did you notice any diffraction patterns on you glasses, multiple images, etc.
 
 
 SG> The incident was over by 10:19pm MST.  The object appeared to be in 
 SG> three sections because of the lighting and was slowly rotating in a  
 SG> counter-clockwise motion. 
 
Three sections in what configuration, top, middle, bottom or front, middle 
rear? where the sections pointed, rounded, square at the edges, at the 
joining edges, at the ends? 
2 minutes of observation to go what approximate distance. 
 
 SG> I estimated its altitude to be between 1200 and 1500 feet, but my wife
 
 SG> says it was below 1000 feet. The object itself was not clearly visible 
 SG> to me at all. 
 
Why the difference if altitude estimate? 
What basis is there for each estimate. 
By not clearly visible, what exactly do you mean? were the edges fuzzy or
 
unfocused in appearance? Was the light enough to blind you? Was the object 
clearly visible to your wife or sister-in-law? 
 
Lastly after this long question period, did anything else come to mind 
which was not mention in your first post by answering these questions? 
IF so, what. 
 
Rick 

      
*********************************************************************
* -------->>> THE U.F.O. BBS - http://www.ufobbs.com/ufo <<<------- *
*********************************************************************