Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Strange Light

Last night, as I was sitting on the porch swing on my pizer, about 10 o'clock, leaving a message on Lou Ann's voice mail, my eye was drawn upward and I looked into the northern sky. There, above the tree tops, was a "star" that shone extra bright. I wondered if it might be an airplane or a satellite. It was not large, but extremely bright. I soon realized that it wasn't moving. Then, suddenly, as I watched, it faded and disappeared. It only lasted a few seconds, then was completely gone.

I am wondering if anyone else saw this unusual celestial display. I am almost certain it was not a flare. I have seen flares before. This object appeared suddenly, and was small and white. Also, it did not travel like a shooting star. There was no trail or tail. It  looked exactly like an extremely bright star. It simply brightened, then quickly faded away.  

It was very unusual.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is the story of midwifery on Ocracoke. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082112.htm.

5 comments:

  1. Lou Ann, why did you disappear so quickly?

    On a more prosaic note, I wonder if what I saw might have been a satellite headed towards me (thus no apparent movement) that briefly reflected sunlight from the other side of the earth. I have seen satellites traversing the sky do that very same thing...shine brightly for a second or so, then fade away.

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  2. Anonymous8:24 AM

    If I had read your post by a different author I would have thought, "oh just a quack...! Trying to sell a UFO book!" BUT, since it was from Philip Howard it had credibility!

    Actually what amazes me is that Ocracoke is such a special place that you were actually able to see it. Less light pollution. Less distractions. Makes me wonder what the heavens revealed ages ago on the island.

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  3. Anonymous5:01 PM

    Nothing on the net. THIS WEEK'S SKY.COM is an interesting site though.

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  4. Anonymous8:39 PM

    The Miami Space Planetarium produces an educational star gazer package for PBS jack Horkhimer was the original host may he RIP> I have the fortune or misfortune of leaving my place of work at midnight sometimes 1 am or even 2 am anyway, I saw last week in the "night" sky @ 1 am-- Jupiter to the left of a half moon. This bright object which was Jupiter and the half moon was spectacular -I might say. I also have the good fortune to exit the parking lot facing east thus I am often treated to awe some celestial displays

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