Appearance / Description of Object(s)

Yellow-orange, much like Mars recently. Mostly traveled as fast or faster than a commercial airplane.

Size of Object(s)

From across the valley (roughly eight-nine miles), it looked to be neraly the same size as a normal plane.

Description of Area / Surroundings

Urban, though I live in a more rural part of the Valley. The Rogue Valley is just north of the California border. Mild-moderate climate.

Full Description & Details

My family and I had driven into Medford, Oregon, for late-night grocerey shopping after returning from out-of-town. It must have been eleven or so -- pretty late for our quiet neighborhood. We pulled into the driveway, started to unload the trunk. My younger brother called to me as I walked to the back door with a load of bags, "Look, a firefly!"

My parents and brother were just standing there, facing east, frozen, looking up at the sky, so I doubled back. Sure enough, a bright yellow-orange, star-like object was flitting around above us. But, instead of being a small, nearby object, I quickly realized it was, instead, quite sizeable, and far-off -- a fact my father soon pointed out.

It was an easy mistake to make; whatever this was certainly moved like a bug -- it appeared to be maiking its way south, but would often bop up and down, or jerk backwards, then forwards again, and change its speed and altitude with astonishing ease.

It really didn't move like anything I, or my family, had ever seen before. It was (mostly) far too fast for a hot-air balloon, blimp, or helicopter. It was much too agile for a plane, and too bright for a jet. Besides, jets can't jerk around like this thing could -- doubling back on themselves, or changing direction/velocity so quickly.

It moved from the north end of Medford to the south end, then passed over Phoenix and Talent before fading out of sight above the ridge across from Ashland. It stayed mostly 4 or so miles above the Valley, and was visible for only about three minutes.

Can sighting be explained as any conventional man-made or natural object?

No. My father's dad was a Navy pilot, and my dad grew up knowing about aircraft -- my dad was definitely baffled. And, from all I've seen growing up in San Jose (Calif.) and Los Angeles, this thing wasn't like any regular airplane/blimp/helicopter/whatever I've ever seen.

Views on UFOs, before and after sighting

Never read much or cared much about UFOs, but I started watching the occasional special on the History channel (or, you know, whatever) since my sighting, and found the object I saw to move quite similarly to various footage.

Other Comments

Um, I don't really believe in aliens, but would very much like to help with research.

Reported Sighting? 

Name: 

Your Location: