SIGHTING: NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC

Witness Testimony

"More Reddish-Orange light activity in North Myrtle Beach, SC.Background Since mid-July of 2012, there have been numerous and semi-regular sightings of unidentified “orange balls” of light in the North Myrtle Beach, SC area. The sightings have been ongoing, as recently as within the past week. In an effort to witness these anomalous events, the author went to the area in question to observe on October 5, 2012.Two witnesses observed two instances of some anomalous aereal objects, and hereby submit this report.The witnesses conducted a field observation between dusk (approximately 7:30pm) and 10:30pm. Subsequent to the sightings the witnesses did not discuss what they saw in any detail, preferring to prevent contamination of their individual accounts.Weather/visibility conditions Clear until 9:30pm, then scattered altocumulus at 10,000' until 10:15pm, then clear.Temperature 77 degrees, Barometric pressure 29.95 in/Hg, Winds South at 12kt.Average amount of haze and ground lights, restricted observation of stars to 4th magnitude.Sighting 1: Time – 8:35pm Duration of sighting: ~30 seconds Distance from observer: Unknown Elevation above MSL: Unknown Heading arc of object: ~8 to ~10 degrees Azimuth of object: ~ 15 degrees above horizon constant Witness 1 Narrative: I was sitting in a chair on the beach facing east. I was watching the sky to the south, and turned towards the north and saw a bright reddish-orange light in the sky, with a magnitude of approximately -4. I alerted Witness 2 to the object, who also observed it. It traveled from left to right at the same elevation, and after about 15 seconds faded to a small pinpoint of light, with a magnitude of approximately 0. It traveled toward the right (northeast) and gradually faded away to invisible.I am well versed in astronomical, meteorological, and aviation disciplines, and while the course taken by the object first appeared to be that of a conventional aircraft, I have never seen a configuration of lights of the sort. There were no strobes (red/white), nor wingtip lights (red/green), and the object simply disappeared.Sighting 2: Time – 8:42pm Duration of sighting: ~60 seconds Distance from observer: Unknown Elevation above MSL: Unknown Heading arc of object: ~15 to ~20 degrees Azimuth of object: From ~ 8 to ~12 degrees above horizon Witness 1 Narrative: Alerted to the activity reported in Sighting 1, I concentrated my subsequent observation on the same area. Seven minutes after the first sighting, I observed a very bright reddish-orange light very low to the horizon, estimate about 8 degrees, low enough to be partially obscured by the roofs of the nearby beach houses. I again alerted Witness 2 to the object, who also observed it. The object was rising in elevation to a maximum of approximately 12 degrees above the horizon, in clear view. It was traveling from right to left, and was observed for approximately one full minute, traversing approximately 20 degree range of heading, and exhibiting similar flight and behavioral characteristics: very bright, in the order of magnitude of estimated -4 to -6 for the majority of the time of observance, then fading to a clear white pinpoint of light with an estimated magnitude of 0 or 1, and finally disappearing altogether. While the course taken by the object first appeared to be! that of a conventional aircraft, the lighting presentation was unconventional. There were no strobes (red/white), nor wingtip lights (red/green), and the object simply disappeared. "