This was definitely a thing. I'm in Palo Alto California looking west from my backyard and it burned up the entire time from when it came into my vision over my roof line until I couldn't look any further south or south east It was definitely something big and was not burning up quickly
Location
Address
Palo Alto, CA
Latitude
37° 24' 45.17'' N (37.412546°)
Longitude
122° 8' 9.76'' W (-122.136044°)
Elevation
16.749212m
Time and Duration
Local Date & Time
2026-01-15 00:30 PST
UT Date & Time
2026-01-15 08:30 UT
Duration
≈20s
Direction
Moving direction
From up left to down right
Descent Angle
93°
Moving
Facing azimuth
213.67°
First azimuth
290.33°
First elevation
47°
Last azimuth
128.19°
Last elevation
39°
Brightness and color
Stellar Magnitude
-14
Color
Yellow
Concurrent Sound
Observation
No
Remarks
-
Delayed Sound
Observation
No
Remarks
-
Persistent train
Observation
Yes
Duration
25s
Length
45°
Remarks
It was a very long train of something burning up and during the atmosphere. It must have been big because it persisted the entire way across the skyline I could see from approximate in North to South, facing west. The trail persisted for a very long time. I feel this was a large object
Terminal flash
Observation
No
Remarks
-
Fragmentation
Observation
Yes
Remarks
A long trail straight back. It didn't look like an explosion that shot out laterally. It was just a long tail straight back which must have been some sort of fragmentation or burn up phenomenon
