An account of a sighting from a skeptic

Hi guys and girls! I’ve contemplated for some time revealing a sighting I had a few years ago. I’ve always chickened out, and decided that it wouldn’t do any good. Additionally, I’ve probably come across as quite the skeptical person during my time here, but I thought it may be the time to tell what I saw. Just to verify that although I am sceptical and critical about what other people have seen, I too have an unexplainable sighting of something I don’t know what is. And maybe out of the desire to mature, I allow you to do the same to me as what I might have done to you. It's worth to mention that I’ve never been disrespectful or rude to anyone, except one time where we dealt with an obvious and deliberate hoaxer I’ll admit, but I hope to receive the same tone in replies as I have given during my time here.

On to the sighting!

Intro:
For the first half of 2008, although this account is from early February of that year, I was regularly commuting by bus from my home to my job. This was by bus, and it left really early in the morning. I was looking forward to the normal bus with delightful reclinable seats and warm air, but alas it was an old bus from the 70’s with no warm air and non-reclinable seats. I was left in a 90 degree seating angle, and thoroughly irritated, unable to sleep. Mind you, it was at least an hour of boring terrain, and the darkness didn’t help. But the air was crisp and clear.

The actual sighting:
I was sitting there freezing, almost alone on the bus except for a couple of passengers. But after about 15-20 minutes, I saw a big yellow ball of light hovering over the water by the only village and populated area on the stretch. After a few seconds of observing the big yellow ball, it decreased in size, or dimmed down, in the shape and bright luminescence of a star. It then increased again, forming the shape of a big yellow ball of light. It repeated this cycle a few times before disappearing. But as I looked up in the starry sky, there was a star-like light moving in irregular patterns, zig-zagging around in the sky. That was the last I saw of it, and I’ve barely mentioned it to anyone other than my immediate friends and family.

I had the opportunity and desire of getting off at a stop where I could get a good view, but it was thwarted by my fear and anxiety of what I saw. I also told myself I would get late for work, and let that be my reason for not doing it. In retrospect, I regret the decision. The chance of capturing it on camera was also something I could’ve done, but my mind was entirely wrapped up in what was happening before my eyes.

I could also have asked the bus driver and the other few passengers that were there if they saw it, but the fear of ridicule or the denial of the sighting by the other possible witnesses put me off. It may seem irrational, but I decided to keep it to myself.

There’s a lot about the sighting I think I could’ve done differently, and it’s a huge regret. They could have verified that it was a real occurrence, it would have substantiated what I saw, and I’d feel content that what I saw was real, and more importantly I wouldn’t feel alone in seeing such a baffling and enigmatic spectacle.

I’ve ruled out lighthouse, helicopter, plane, lanterns, cars, street lights, and much else I can think of. It was “suspended” over the water, just hanging there. It was definitely something I can’t explain to this day.

I don’t expect to get any answers, as I like to sometimes live in doubt. But I hope you got a kick out of reading it and perhaps not to be as reticent as I was if you see something unexplainable. Talk to other people if there’s someone around you, notify them and direct their awareness to what you see. Pick up your cell phone or camera if you can. Get off the bus and record it!

That’s it, I’ve left it on the table. Rip it apart!

reply to post by Droogie

f/s, brave of you!!!

I'll read it later....just checking in real quick.

It could have been anything really. But sounds interesting. Once when I was a kid my mother and I were driving and a small silver object flew down the street. It was so fast you could barely make out it what it was a ball followed by a silver streak going back several hundred feet. It popped up a few feet over the car back down and off out of view. This was before phone cameras but there was no way any camera would have caught it it was moving so fast. It looked like it was maybe two feet in diameter. It was silver. It was moving really really fast. Both my mom and I clearly saw it.

reply to post by wildtimes


Thank you very much. It has nothing to do with being brave, well I guess it has at least something to do with not being a chicken, but it's out of a desire to hear other peoples thoughts. Also, it's an opportunity to see if anyone has seen something similar. And that would give me some sort of relief I think.

Thanks again, and read it when you have the time to do so.

reply to post by Droogie


Nice account Droogie
There's just one problem I can see ....

I saw a big yellow ball of light hovering over the water by the only village and populated area on the stretch.

Couldn't this indicate that what you saw might have been something to do with the village or people in the area ?
Just a thought .

reply to post by Droogie


One thing, now when people who carp on about...Why didn't you do this or that?; You know first hand how it's just not that simple when confronted with something that just "doesn't fit" into your life's experience. Don't knock yourself out over it, I and anyone with an ounce of empathy, understands exactly how it goes. The truth is, none of us know how we will react in circumstances such as yours.

Thank you for taking to the time to share the experience.

reply to post by crazyguy2012


Well, as I know from experience, personal accounts does not get much credence around here. I do try to avoid replying to them, because I don't have anything to contribute. But what I do enjoy is reading them and contemplate the stories. They're hard to substantiate, and to most they are nothing more than stories. But as long as the ethos of the storyteller is present, I'd be willing to listen.

thanks for sharing your sighting with us

when i read it i thought like .. did you take into account that you were sitting in a bus and saw it through the window ?
Do you wear glasses ?

i'm asking because especially in the morning hours the sun can cause some good reflections on a glass surface, and especially the part where you say you saw a zig-zagging point in the sky reminds me being a reflection or a distortion of light seen through or on a glass surface in motion.

so what direction was that bus traveling ? have you had the sun in your back shining through the opposite window into the bus ?
how was this light setup at that time ?

reply to post by gortex


I've considered this, but it's unlikely that anyone in the village had anything to do with anything like what I saw so late in the night, or even daylight. I've been keeping a close eye on that place ever since it happened, and I can't think of a single thing that could explain what I saw. It was definitely in the air, way above the water, and I've never seen it since. And I've driven past there at least 500 times during both night and day. It's puzzling.

reply to post by FireMoon

Thanks for the support!

I have another interesting thing I once saw. I forget when it exactly it occurred. I was near Avon Park, Florida. I think it was before 1998. It was late at night maybe 11:00pm. There was a very large shooting start that entered the atmosphere. It seemed like it lasted at least 30 seconds but time is relative and. It looked like a big missile coming in with a huge tail of fire... About five minutes later the space shuttle launched. It seemed like a very strange coincidence. I have watched numerous meteor showers and I have never seen one as big and bright as this. To be followed by a shuttle launch was an awesome sight. I am sure others must have seen it. I wasn't an internet troll back then so I never read anything about it.

Originally posted by FireMoon
reply to post by Droogie

 

One thing, now when people who carp on about...Why didn't you do this or that?; You know first hand how it's just not that simple when confronted with something that just "doesn't fit" into your life's experience. Don't knock yourself out over it, I and anyone with an ounce of empathy, understands exactly how it goes. The truth is, none of us know how we will react in circumstances such as yours.

Thank you for taking to the time to share the experience.

I highly doubt a real encounter or sighting would last long enough to be captured on video or in photos. By the time you realize what is going on it is gone... Even now with cell phone cameras I would imagine it would be difficult to hold it steady enough and to be able to zoom in enough to get a good resolution. I think this whole cell phone camera revolution has done this whole subject a great disservice. It floods the net with so many fakes and/or videos of lanterns, lights and other objects that a real sighting will be quickly discounted. I wonder how many people out there have seen something but haven't said anything because they think they will be discounted because they didn't get it on camera?

reply to post by TMJ1972


I saw it through a window.
I do not wear glasses.
I was driving southwards, but the sun was not coming up that that point, it was as dark as night.
There was no internal lighting in the bus, so I've ruled that out, thanks for pointing it out though! Forgot it in the OP.

zig-zagging point in the sky reminds me being a reflection or a distortion of light seen through or on a glass surface in motion.

This may be attributed to the stars themselves, but I don't know about that.

reply to post by Droogie


Could you flesh out the description a bit like from where to where were you going and a name of the village might be nice , than we could see if any similar sightings to yours have been reported in the area , your profile says Scandinavia so the Hessdalen lights comes to mind

reply to post by gortex


I knew this would come up I appreciate your diligence, but for personal reasons I would'nt want to give that information. As I'd like to keep a certain kind of anonymity, it could'nt be disclosed without revealing exactly where I'm from. But I've been keeping an eye on reported sightings from this area, and so far there has been none, none at all. At least from any regional/national media and UFO report centers.

I was driving southwards, but the sun was not coming up that that point, it was as dark as night.

oh i didn't get that it was mostly dark
i just wanted to point out that you have a whole lot of windows in such a bus and all what you see can possibly be a reflection or a distortion of something being in a totally different position.

light and glass can produce a multitude of effects and it was my goal that you might remember something that would might explain that as a distortion of something else.
a glowing cigarette would be enough to cause it, for example

reply to post by Droogie

Hi, I'm back. Very intriguing story!!

I agree that in the moment, it would be extraordinary to have the presence of mind to get out my phone, hope that I had enough memory to take the pic, and the time to aim and shoot.

I believe you; have you tried contacting any of the people in the village? I understand wanting anonymity; could you put up a flier anonymously that asks for other witnesses??

The only other thing I can think of is a bonfire glare????

Thanks for sharing! I hope one day to be able to have a similar experience, and then come and post a real anecdote without being flamed to death!

reply to post by Droogie


Thanks for your candid admission, Droogie. There is a general reluctance to report experiences such as this. I'm glad some people can overcome their desire to not look like a "kook" and to tell of what they've actually seen. Disclosure is a grass roots phenomenon.

Originally posted by crazyguy2012
I have another interesting thing I once saw. I forget when it exactly it occurred. I was near Avon Park, Florida. I think it was before 1998. It was late at night maybe 11:00pm. There was a very large shooting start that entered the atmosphere. It seemed like it lasted at least 30 seconds but time is relative and. It looked like a big missile coming in with a huge tail of fire... About five minutes later the space shuttle launched. It seemed like a very strange coincidence. I have watched numerous meteor showers and I have never seen one as big and bright as this. To be followed by a shuttle launch was an awesome sight. I am sure others must have seen it. I wasn't an internet troll back then so I never read anything about it.

Wow! I saw something VERY SIMILIAR back in May of 2001, heading north on 95 out of Florida, was about an hour outside the FL/GA border, only this was coming DOWN. Was huge, and even tho I had my digital camera on the seat next to me, I couldn't get a pic. This was late at night, I'd say around midnite or so.

I applaud your decision to share your experience... it does take a certain amount of courage to put yourself out there, knowing there are so many people who take opportunities to make snide remarks.

And... I recently (6 evenings ago) witnessed some very strange things in the night sky. I didn't have my phone/camera with me, and it wasn't until about 2-3 minutes into watching it that I realized I should be capturing it! I sent my daughter into the house to get it for me... but by the time she came back outside, they were gone. So, yeah... I totally get that moment of "whoa, this is cool... what the heck am I seeing here?!". It's been on my mind every day since, and I've been watching the sky every night but, so far, nothing. I admit I am very disappointed.

I suppose all we can do is keep checking MUFON maps to see if anyone else reports seeing something similar.

Originally posted by Droogie
I've considered this, but it's unlikely that anyone in the village had anything to do with anything like what I saw so late in the night, or even daylight.

I don't think it's as unlikely as you think. What you saw was in the air, but how do you know it wasn't a reflection of something on the ground? Kind of like this:

www.caelestia.be...

The top of a small island on the horizon is "mirrored" in the sky above, creating the illusion of a disc-like object that hovers in mid-air.

If there were air currents that could have disturbed the reflective properties of the temperature inversion that would also account for the dynamic appearance of what you saw. Temperature inversions are quite common but the more impressive superior reflections seem to be found at the northern latitudes. Still, I've seen some very impressive reflections even from Mexico.