Lights in the Sky
Sydney Observatory often receives reports from the public about mysterious and unexplained sightings in the sky. Many of these are fireballs, which are small rocks from space hitting the Earth’s atmosphere at high speed and burning up brightly as they reach the denser parts of the atmosphere about 30 or 40 km above the ground. Others turn out to be aeroplane vapour trails, ‘dump and burn’ manoeuvres by Air Force aircraft, satellites, weather balloons or even, as on 19 February 2007, exploding rockets.
We invite you to report your observations here. Other people may wish to comment on your observations if they have seen the same object or seen something similar at another time.
When leaving your observations please give as much detail as you can including
- Where you were
- The time
- The direction you were looking (north, east, south, west or in-between)
- How high up you were looking (horizon is 0° elevation, half way up is 45° and directly overhead is 90°)
- How long you saw the object
- The direction the object was moving
- Whether it was clear or cloudy
- Whether you could see the Moon or Venus or any other astronomical object
- Describe what you saw
Thank you
835 Responses to “Lights in the Sky”
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Sharmila on June 10th, 2010
rica2c
I saw it too… amazing what was that?
Nick Lomb on June 10th, 2010
Hello Arno, Sharmila, rica2c and emilyhogg. Red and in the western sky at sunset – a backlit cloud or aeroplane vapour trail. See, for example, this post by Geoff Wyatt.
Nikki on June 10th, 2010
Hi everyone! I saw it too! around 5pm in the west of sydney!
Claire C on June 10th, 2010
Nick Lamb no way was that a backlit cloud or aeroplane vapour trail. Something was falling! I saw it also from my office window…
KARLA on June 11th, 2010
WERRINGTON NSW, Thursday june 10th around 6.10pm i was out the front waiting for a freind when i looked over towards werrington soccer fields towards st marys and in the sky a bright aqua/blue glowing ball free fell from about 60 degrees to 40 degrees while falling there was an intense white glowing trail behind it, it lasted about 3 seconds then it dissapeared the sky was clear there were no clouds..Did anyone else see this?
joemomma on June 11th, 2010
Yeah, I saw it too (june 10th)…if it came from a vehicle, the vehicle was at least initially out of control. It burned for a long time, and did not look at all like the samples from that thread.
I managed to get some “ok” mobile phone pictures of it, I’ll be taking a closer look and posting them if there’s anything to see.
Peanut1981 on June 11th, 2010
yeh i saw it to bout 5pm driving home from norwest. was Wild. so what was it?
Peanut1981 on June 11th, 2010
yeh i agree no way was it a plane. i swear it was like an asteroid coming for earth :).
annodblue on June 11th, 2010
I saw this too. I was travelling from Parramatta back to Blacktown via James Ruse Drive. At approx 5:10pm looking toward the west was an orangish light heading down with a smallish trail. Definately not something I have seen before. I was at the top of James Ruse drive so fairly high up and it was no-where near the ground when I witnessed it. My daughter also witnessed the same thing From Blacktown netball courts and said it resemebled a rock falling.
kate26 on June 12th, 2010
Fri night /early Sat morning (june 10/11) a very bright star (planet?) is direct north, close to the eastern seaboard.
Viewing from Randwick cnr Avoca St&Alison Rd- quite a high ridge
randomperson on June 12th, 2010
- Where you were – Invermay Tasmania
- The time approx 10.30pm 11th June
- The direction you were looking west
- How high up you were looking approx 45 degrees
- How long you saw the object – 3-5 minutes
- The direction the object was moving was moving fast towards east. slowed down then sped up going north east
- Whether it was clear or cloudy i would say at lesast 80% clear
- Whether you could see the Moon or Venus or any other astronomical object. alot of stars and honestly i didnt look for the moon sometimes i cant see the moon from my front door.
- Describe what you saw
i was talking to my boyfriend then over his shoulder i seen a really bright orange glow inthe sky, it was moving really fast and occasi0nally dimming in brightness then coming bright again. it would also slow down then speed up. after about 1-1.5 min it changed direction and started heading north-east going fast then slow again. after a few minutes it got too far to see so we went back inside.
kelly on June 12th, 2010
I saw this fiery ball with a long glowing tail fall from the sky over the west. It lasted well over a few minutes. this was about 5pm. 11/6/10
Today 12/6/10 i saw the same thing in a similar spot lasting again a few minutes falling very slowly.
WHAT WAS IT??????
Justine on June 12th, 2010
I saw same thing today 12/6/10 at about 5pm. What looked like a fiery ball falling from the sky. It was in a westerly direction from where I live. I am wondering same thing. What Was It????? Very curious as I have never seen anything like this before.
J on June 14th, 2010
Where Pittwater, northen beaches
Time aprox 6:30-6:50
Where I was looking aprox west
How far up I was looking 40-50 deg
How long I saw it aprox 20 min
The direction it was moving west to north
Clouds None or minimal
Other planetary objects none
It was the brightest star in the sky and had a strong twinkle to it. It was white and seemed to move very slowly.
kelly on June 14th, 2010
Again on the 13/6/10.. I saw 4 of these fireballs over the west all heading in different directions and lasting for a few minutes.. all 4 days were clear. They started about 4pm and still saw some around 5.30pm
Mike on June 14th, 2010
Three people witnessed a bright light in the NW sky tonight at 6pm that we thought might have been a comet as it was three times the size of Venus. It was fluctuating and hovering, and slowly went yellowy white as it went over the horizon behind fog.
Mike on June 14th, 2010
guessing we are getting hit by astroids
Mike on June 14th, 2010
It initially heading towards us and looked as though it were getting bigger, it was a bright pure white light and was about 60degrees in the NW sky. It was there for over an hour and at about 7pm it was disappearing behind clouds and was only about 40-30degrees in the sky and a firey orangey yellowish colour. I could not see the moon and Venus was nearby.
Shell T on June 20th, 2010
Central Coast
Approx 8:45 June 19, 2010
looking west
45 deg
visible 3-5 seconds from when i noticed it.
moving quickly towards earth
clear night sky
Moon and stars visible.
While driving in my car i saw a large, bright, blue, fireball with a long tail of the same blue colour which took up most of the 45 deg until it went behind the trees. Did seem to be far away but looked like it was heading towards the middle of nsw.
I have never seen anything like this. It was amazing. My husband also saw it. I have been searching to see if anyone else saw it, but nothing so far. Somebody please tell me they saw it aswel. :)
daz on June 21st, 2010
Penrith.NSW.7:30pm 21 June 2010.This evening we observed a large yellow/red fireball of which flames were easily seen.Travelling directly overhead from the south to the north.Watched for approx 1 to 2 minutes.Seemed to be burning quite ferociously, and moving quickly.Disappeared into the north at about 45 degrees.Wondering if anyone else observed same.
John_m on June 22nd, 2010
Revised
Brookvale bus depot.
Approx 6.30pm Sunday,night 20th June 2010
Clear sky, no wind.
85 deg looking up.
Seems to be 1-2km`s height in sky.
Duration: 15 secs
Other stars visible, southern cross,ect and venus.
Traveling from south to north. No other planes seen at that time. But at other times planes were traveling in 2 other north zones, one inland and one from ocean. Object was seen in between the two flight paths. No other planes traveling in between that zone, before or after sighting.
Object was bright, solid and very large. Similar to a jumbo front beam lights, if you have seen a 747 coming towards you, Color that is. But was consistent and round. Very steady. Seem to be traveling faster than a plane. It gain attitude and light seem to fade until no light was visible, was fading to the color of white star. No other light`s visible on object. No noise. Witnesses two people including myself.
Anyone else seen this as well ?
Sydney observertry any feedback ?
halo on June 22nd, 2010
Dear Observatory
Did you see the huge halo around the moon on the 22 June 2010 approx 8.30pm over Sydney ?
Charli181 on July 9th, 2010
I Saw a yellow light from Cambridge Park, NSW which came from the west Over the blue mountains, at a great speed into approx Emu plains at height of no more what appeared to be 500-600 meters, and then turned and headed north. This was visible for some 2 minutes before pausing in the sky, a fair distance away, and then finally fading away well above the horizon. there were no typical flashing lights of air craft usually seen in the area nor was there any sound. THis all happened at approx 21:10 – 9 July 2010.
Please let me knwo what I had observed……
yasmin on July 15th, 2010
On Wednesday 14 July 2010 at about 10:00pm I saw a large green light in the Eastern Suburbs falling directly down in a straight line down to the ground. It looked like a firecracker heading in the reverse direction. Was this a meteorite?
Bob on July 15th, 2010
I was at my house (Sydney) looking in the sky from my window and I saw a ‘ORANGE’ tiny dot in the sky, I thought it was clouds but it was too bright for a cloud, it is not a plane too and it was not a star, it split into 2 dots later on and the second one disappeared. I also took some photos of it ^^
OwenE on July 15th, 2010
Below the crescent moon in the north western sky a bright light (too bright to be a star) slowly travelling downwards toward the horizon I think…
Nick Lomb on July 16th, 2010
Hello Owen. I suspect you were looking at the planet Venus which was near the crescent Moon last night 15 July 2010.
Hello Bob. If you were looking west near the time of sunset, you almost certainly saw a cloud or vapour trail backlit by the Sun.
Hello Yasmin. You may have seen a meteor – a small particle burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere. It only becomes a meteorite on the relatively rare occasions when the particle is big enough to survive the trip through the atmosphere. And you only find out if it was a meteorite if it draws attention to itself by landing on someone’s head, house or car.
Gavin on July 19th, 2010
Time:Monday 11th July 11:00 pm (approx)
Location: Tallows Beach, Byron Bay (no competing lights except the lighthouse from which my vantage was hidden.
Conditions: clear, not a cloud anywhere in sight.
Direction:NE
Horizon: 35 degrees above the sea/horizon
Motion: motionless or close to for 30 minutes, no flicker.
Magnitude:I have never seen anything brighter in the night sky except the moon.(I have a passion for the sky and have been starwatching all my life (age 59)
Colour:similar to a just risen moon, dusky orange.
Expectation: planet rising above the sea and of sufficient magnitude to cast a glowing path across it.
Confirmation: I have tried to find out what this was, but it seems to have risen in the wrong part of the sky.
Nick Lomb on July 20th, 2010
Hello Gavin. I suspect you were looking at the planet Jupiter which rose in the east just before 11 pm on 11 July 2010 and is nice and bright.
Josephine Miller on July 22nd, 2010
I’m one of those nasty smokers and when I am outside at night taking a puff, I have noticed an increase in “falling stars” action in the sky. I live in Sydney and usually the city lights block most of these sightings. In the week begining 12 July I saw 3 during the 5 minutes it takes to have a ciggy. In that week I saw at least one a night. Usually nw to se. I can’t find any info of a belt passing.
Anyone know whats happening?
Vicki on July 22nd, 2010
At approx 5.15pm on the 21st July 2010 my daughter and I saw a bright stationary silver light in the North West Sky over Sydney. I explained to her that it looked like a planet but I think it was the wrong position and time for any planets I knew of. As we watched it suddenly disappeared and left a small vertical cloud with a bit of a spiral at the bottom of the cloud. The sky was cloudless with the exception of the red clouds on the horizon. There was another strange vertical cloud that we had noticed earlier, prior to sighting the bright light. It was located to the left of the light, approx. a handspan away.
The light was approx. 60 degrees above the horizon.
We viewed the light for about 3-4 minutes.
It was not a planes’ vapour trail. I’m not sure if it could be a dump & burn from a jet?? Over Sydney??
I would love to know if anyone else saw it, and what it was?
Robert on July 22nd, 2010
I am looking nw from the lower blue mountains (about 70km west of Sydney). There is an incredibly bright star – about 45 degrees above horizon. Makes all the other stars look dim. It is motionless, and I can’t remember seeing anything that bright before.
Anyone know what I’m looking at?
John on July 23rd, 2010
23/07/2010 18:00 Local Time
Mount Alford QLD.
Two bright objects about magnitude 1 in the South East 45 degrees above the horizon about half the distance apart as alpha and Beta Centauri. No motion detectable after observing for about 60 seconds. Then magnitude rapidly faded to invisible in about 10 seconds
Nick Lomb on July 24th, 2010
Hello Robert. You are looking at the planet Venus.
Chewy on July 29th, 2010
Robert & Bob, You guys have seen what NASA and the European Space Agency have been hiding from the public, which is PHOBOS! I have seen it now over the last week on two seperate occasions. The Satanists that run the world are going to use Phobos as a doomsday scenario to scare the world into their Lucifer worshiping New World Order. Check out Michellenye’s youtube site for confirmation.