A puzzling event left witnesses in awe in the skies above Oakland, California, on September 6, 2023, around 7:15 PM local time. Two observers reported spotting a strange object silently moving across the clear sky, leaving a visible trail behind.
The object, described as having an oval or cylindrical shape, was highly reflective and appeared to be traveling from southeast to southwest. The witnesses noted that the observation lasted for several minutes, and the object's altitude was estimated to be less than 10,000 feet. Its apparent size was less than a quarter-inch when held between outstretched fingers.
The observing couple noticed the object around sunset, between 7:15 and 7:30 PM, as they were leaving their house for an evening walk. The object traversed the sky in a deliberately straight path, passing in front of their house facing southeast and eventually heading southwest. Its speed was estimated to be a few hundred knots, considering its presumed altitude of 5,000 to 10,000 feet.
Intrigued by this unusual sight, one of the witnesses hurried back into their house to check a flight tracking app on their phone. However, no recorded air traffic was in the vicinity of the object. As the object faded from view to the southeast, over either land south of San Francisco or the Pacific Ocean, it appeared as a small golden-bright dot and seemed to leave a faint trail behind.
The witness stated that, although they often gaze up at the sky, watching birds and tracking planes, this was the most extraordinary thing they had ever seen. They added that this was their first time reporting an unidentified flying object (UFO).
The incident was reported to the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) on September 7, 2023, at 10:26 AM Pacific Time, and it was posted on their website on September 10, 2023.
Srishti Sethi, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland,_California#/media/File:Grand_Avenue_side_of_Lake_Merritt,_Oakland.jpg