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Remarks |
Observed while driving on a highway in a well-lit commercial area (streetlights, strip malls, apartments visible).
The object first appeared at roughly 50–60° above the horizon as a very small white spark, similar in brightness to a bright star. The object moved almost vertically downward, drifting slightly right-to-left (no more than a few degrees from vertical). The total visible path covered roughly 15–30° of sky.
Over the next 2–4 seconds, the object rapidly increased in brightness and apparent size. It appeared much larger than a star and clearly ball-shaped, with brightness comparable in visual prominence to the full Moon (though smaller in apparent size). The luminous head visibly expanded to several times its initial apparent size. The fireball developed a compact, bright spherical head with a short, thick tail trailing behind it.
• The head was significantly brighter than the tail.
• The tail appeared dense but comparatively faint, and did not extend very far behind the head.
• The overall appearance resembled a descending flare, but much faster and brighter, with a whiter light.
Near approximately 25° above the horizon, the fireball reached its maximum brightness and apparent size and then disappeared abruptly within about 1–2 seconds, giving the impression that it descended into a nearby valley near the line of foreground trees. The event produced mild illumination of the surrounding area, though this was subtle due to existing street and commercial lighting. No clear fragmentation or sound was observed, though I was inside a moving vehicle with the windows closed and on a phone call, which may have masked any delayed sound. |
