UFO sighting February 20th 2020, Tempe Arizona.

originally posted by: Iscool
Exactly...A sharp 90 degree turn on the contrail...

I'm not sure if "turn" is the best word, but yes there are some sharp angles in the contrails, making the contrails more interesting to me than whatever the unknown black specks are. About the UFOs though:

Evening

originally posted by: Heisenburg
They were moving incredibly slow. So slow that you couldn't really notice the movement just by looking at them

Next morning:

*It looked exactly the same as the evening before*...The way the object was travelling was very strange to me. It was going quite fast

This raises some questions, when you say it looked the same, because the motion described is completely different, right? Very fast the next morning, but very slow the evening before?

but you can clearly see the black speck

A but of a contradiction, but yes I agree it's a "speck" as you say, which means it's really not clear at all what it is or what it could be. A wide variety of different shape objects at a great enough distance tend to become a "speck" in appearance.

So I'm not sure why you say *It looked exactly the same as the evening before*...when you describe such completely different motion. Since all you can see in the photos is a "speck" there's really not any detail to conclude it looks "the same" as another "speck", so what I'm asking is, could the object the next morning have been completely different, since it's motion was completely different? Or could you see some detail in the shape that is not apparent in the photos when you say it looked the same, and if so what details looked the same?

originally posted by: SecretKnowledge

In that photo it becomes apparent that the most distant balloons turn into "specks".
Given the evening "specks" moved slowly is there anything about them that rules out balloons?

The "speck" the next morning sounds like it was moving too fast to be a balloon if I understand the description, so maybe a balloon can be ruled out in the morning object, and you mentioned drone and I didn't notice anything to rule out that possibility.

I've never seen a balloon turn around and go the other way.
Unless the wind shifted.
They do look like balloons, not gonna deny that. But it's not often you see then shift directions. I used to see them fly over all the time where I used to live and never saw one go the other way. Only thing that could cause that is some kind of major wind shift. Not saying it's impossible and this doesn't "rule out" balloons but iy makes it less likely.

My first thought was big drones. Especially the next morning sighting which was moving incredibly smoothly. Drones cruise very smoothly like that and can go up to 150-160mph (so I've read). I'd love to see a hot air balloon do that.

originally posted by: Crosswinds
I've never seen a balloon turn around and go the other way.
Unless the wind shifted.

Prepare to be amazed then. The wind can move in different directions at different altitudes, so technically that's an altitude variation rather than what I'd call a shift.

In the following video the balloons do turn around and go the other way. The balloons at the lower altitude are moving from north to south, then at the higher altitude the are moving from south to north. So to turn the balloon around you just need to change the altitude and the UFOs were reported as descending so could experience changes in wind direction as they descended.

The Albuquerque Box




Not all areas will offer 180 degree wind changes with altitude like that, but 90 degree changes with altitude are common, and that's all you need to see a change in direction (left vs right) if the center part of the 90 degree angle is in your line of sight.

a reply to: Arbitrageur

Ok good call--early morning, I was being kind of stupid, I should have remembered that fact. Especially with the line of sight factor and the fact that it was descending. And the mountain could have exaggerated any wind shifts/wind shear/wind vortex.

But I'm still not convinced about the sighting the next morning. I'd like to see a hot air balloon take off at a high speed. Putting rigid balloons and rockets together? Doubt.

originally posted by: Crosswinds
a reply to: Arbitrageur

Ok good call--early morning, I was being kind of stupid, I should have remembered that fact. Especially with the line of sight factor and the fact that it was descending. And the mountain could have exaggerated any wind shifts/wind shear/wind vortex.

But I'm still not convinced about the sighting the next morning. I'd like to see a hot air balloon take off at a high speed. Putting rigid balloons and rockets together? Doubt.

I already said the description of the object the next morning moving fast seems to rule out a balloon.

I don't understand what warrants the idea it was the "same" when the movement was completely different than the evening before. It's just a speck in the photo.

Great OP, lots of info and visuals. My first thoughts on the objects were hot-air balloons, although on enlarging the pics the objects appear more spherical and I am not sure if the baskets would be visible at the range you give. Maybe the thing to do is rule out any ballooning event for definite.

Strange that you saw a similar object the morning after and I think you are referring to the shape rather than the movement. Did the fact that you were travelling at 50 mph have any bearing on the apparent speed of the approaching object? As has been said, maybe you should submit this.

One to watch and thanks for the hard work you have put in to get it onto the forum.

originally posted by: Arbitrageur

originally posted by: Crosswinds
a reply to: Arbitrageur

Ok good call--early morning, I was being kind of stupid, I should have remembered that fact. Especially with the line of sight factor and the fact that it was descending. And the mountain could have exaggerated any wind shifts/wind shear/wind vortex.

But I'm still not convinced about the sighting the next morning. I'd like to see a hot air balloon take off at a high speed. Putting rigid balloons and rockets together? Doubt.

I already said the description of the object the next morning moving fast seems to rule out a balloon.

I don't understand what warrants the idea it was the "same" when the movement was completely different than the evening before. It's just a speck in the photo.

I believe the OP is referring to the object's apparent shape.

originally posted by: ArbitrageurI'm not sure if "turn" is the best word, but yes there are some sharp angles in the contrails, making the contrails more interesting to me than whatever the unknown black specks are.

Those aren't contrails. They're reflections of overhead light fixtures in the window.

a reply to: fromtheskydown

Seeing a similar thing the next morning, really rings to the tune of birds to me.
Bird's that are a lot closer than the mountain.

originally posted by: nataylor

originally posted by: ArbitrageurI'm not sure if "turn" is the best word, but yes there are some sharp angles in the contrails, making the contrails more interesting to me than whatever the unknown black specks are.

Those aren't contrails. They're reflections of overhead light fixtures in the window.

This one looked like a contrail:



But in some of the other photos it does look like a light fixture, at least the part on the left does, so I think you're right.

originally posted by: nataylor

originally posted by: ArbitrageurI'm not sure if "turn" is the best word, but yes there are some sharp angles in the contrails, making the contrails more interesting to me than whatever the unknown black specks are.

Those aren't contrails. They're reflections of overhead light fixtures in the window.

That was my thought as well or maybe some kind of reflective light fitting hanging down from the ceiling.

originally posted by: Macenroe82
a reply to: fromtheskydown

Seeing a similar thing the next morning, really rings to the tune of birds to me.
Bird's that are a lot closer than the mountain.

I totally respect your position within MUFON but I cannot seriously believe the OP was 'fooled' by a flock of birds. Is this what you are saying...or just referring to the sighting in the morning?

*EDIT*
Having had another look and enlarging the pics as much as possible, I am leaning toward hot-air balloons.