-

204898 sightings reported...
and growing

Columbia Heights, MN

Sighted on Friday 20. September 2002
Reported on
Shape: Triangle | Duration: 5-6 Seconds
Source:

Triangle shaped object traveling east to west approximately 45 degrees above northern horizon.While observing an unusually strong display of aurora borealis I noticed an object traveling from east to west approximately 45 degrees above the northern horizon. This object traveled across approximately 90 degrees of visible sky before I lost it behind ground clutter. The best description I can give would be a plastic coat hanger with the hook at the top removed, leaving a flattened triangle with rounded corners. It appeared to be either clear like acrylic with many small lights inside, or perhaps a light gray that matched the background sky color with a highly reflective surface in which case the many small lights may have been reflections of ground lights. I have been an aviation buff for most of my life and this was no aircraft I have ever seen. While the shape was reminiscient of a hanglider there was no "swooping motion" typical of "kites". Since there was no sound it couldn't have been an ultralight either,they use very noisy small engines and this was silent. The movement was straight and level so must have been powered flight. the size at arm length appeared to be about three inches wingtip to wingtip and about one inch nose to tail. While I can't say the exact distance from me I have the impression this was about the size of a small private aircraft which would give it an altitude of a few hundred feet, certainly low enough to hear engines or see someone hanging below a hanglider. Speed would be hard to estimate, but it only took five or six seconds to cross my line of sight, much faster than any private plane.((NUFORC Note: Date is approximate. Satellites generally do not have a westerly component to their orbit, and they do not move across the sky as dramatically rapidly as the witness indicates here. PD))

comments powered by Disqus

Top 100 nearest sightings ordered by sighting date (100 miles radius):

Location Sighted on Shape Duration
Location Sighted on Shape Duration
Maplewood, Oakdale, & Lake Elmo MN 2023-07-31 Hard to tell, but more rectangles. 30 minutes
Maplewood, Oakdale, & Lake Elmo MN 2023-07-25 Hard to tell, but more rectangles. 30 minutes
Watkins,MN 2023-07-15 Round light 1min-10-min
Coon Rapids, MN 55433 2022-11-07 Triangle 30 Seconds
Milaca, MN 2021-04-17 Triangles? In a still shot
4045 county rd 101 2021-03-04 Straight line of lights 4 minutes
chanhassen mn 2020-08-25 Saucer est 20 minutes
chanhassen mn 2020-08-25 Saucer est 20 minutes
Savage Minnesota 2020-07-19 Flashing light 30 minutes
Scandia, Minnesota (United States) 2020-05-19 Oval 00:01:00
Bethel, Minnesota (United States) 2020-05-10 Oval 06:00:00
Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States) 2020-05-10 Triangle 00:04:00
Eagan, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-29 Other 01:00:00
Scandia, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-28 Unknown 00:30:00
Scandia, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-25 Flash 00:01:00
Saint Paul, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-25 Star-like 00:02:00
Chisago City, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-25 Circle 00:05:00
Roseville, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-24 Cigar 00:15:00
Northfield, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-23 Boomerang 00:00:08
Champlin, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-19 Circle 01:00:00
Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-18 Oval 01:00:03
Hutchinson, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-18 Star-like 00:45:00
White Bear Lake, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-18 Star-like 00:09:00
Dresser, Wisconsin (United States) 2020-04-16 Circle 00:30:00
St. Cloud, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-10 Teardrop 00:00:45
Big Lake, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-09 Unknown 00:20:00
Woodbury, Minnesota (United States) 2020-04-01 Sphere 00:01:30
White Bear Lake, Minnesota (United States) 2020-03-30 Circle 00:02:00
Scandia, Minnesota (United States) 2020-03-21 Unknown 01:00:00
Circle Pines, Minnesota (United States) 2020-03-20 Star-like 00:20:00
Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States) 2020-03-12 Triangle 00:00:05
Hammond, Wisconsin (United States) 2020-03-07 Circle 00:04:00
Elk River, Minnesota (United States) 2020-03-07 Star-like 00:10:00
Shoreview, Minnesota (United States) 2020-03-06 Circle 00:05:00
Mounds View, Minnesota (United States) 2020-03-06 Sphere 00:25:00
Maple Grove, Minnesota (United States) 2020-03-02 Drumbell 00:01:00
Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States) 2020-02-04 Unknown 00:00:30
St. Cloud, Minnesota (United States) 2020-02-01 Circle 08:13:46
Burnsville, Minnesota (United States) 2020-01-24 Triangle 00:00:30
St. Louis Park, Minnesota (United States) 2020-01-21 Sphere 00:00:10
West Saint Paul, Minnesota (United States) 2020-01-09 Triangle 00:00:00
Red Wing, Minnesota (United States) 2020-01-03 Sphere 00:30:00
Ramsey, Minnesota (United States) 2019-11-25 Unknown 00:02:00
Milaca, Minnesota (United States) 2019-11-25 Circle 00:20:00
Sartell, Minnesota (United States) 2019-10-29 Boomerang 00:00:07
Hager City, Wisconsin (United States) 2019-10-27 Circle 00:30:00
Hager City, Wisconsin (United States) 2019-10-27 Circle 00:30:00
Litchfield, Minnesota (United States) 2019-10-25 Star-like 00:30:00
Shakopee, Minnesota (United States) 2019-10-18 Disc 00:00:00
Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States) 2019-10-09 Disc 00:27:00
Willernie, Minnesota (United States) 2019-10-01 Fireball 00:01:00
Woodbury, Minnesota (United States) 2019-09-28 Circle 00:00:05
Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States) 2019-09-20 Triangle 00:01:00
Willernie, Minnesota (United States) 2019-09-18 Unknown 00:01:00
Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States) 2019-08-30 Sphere 00:00:05
Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States) 2019-08-28 Sphere 00:01:00
Delano, Minnesota (United States) 2019-04-17 Circle 00:02:00
Faribault, Minnesota (United States) 2019-04-14 Triangle 00:00:04
East Bethel, Minnesota (United States) 2019-02-19 Boomerang 00:00:10
Eagan, Minnesota (United States) 2019-02-16 Triangle 00:02:00
Scandia, Minnesota (United States) 2019-01-13 Fireball 00:00:53
Rogers, Minnesota (United States) 2019-01-11 Boomerang 00:12:00
North Saint Paul, Minnesota (United States) 2019-01-06 Triangle 00:05:00
Woodbury, Minnesota (United States) 2019-01-05 Sphere 00:05:00
Elk River, Minnesota (United States) 2018-11-12 Triangle 00:00:20
Lonsdale, Minnesota (United States) 2018-11-10 Triangle 00:00:05
Chaska, Minnesota (United States) 2018-11-09 Star-like 00:00:26
Woodbury, Minnesota (United States) 2018-11-09 Other 00:00:15
Woodbury, Minnesota (United States) 2018-10-29 Other 00:00:15
Chaska, Minnesota (United States) 2018-10-16 Circular 2 hours
Cambridge, Minnesota (United States) 2018-10-04 Chevron 00:00:10
Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States) 2018-09-30 Circle 00:20:00
Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States) 2018-08-29 Unknown 00:00:26
Waconia, Minnesota (United States) 2018-08-28 Sphere 00:03:00
Stillwater, Minnesota (United States) 2018-08-20 Other 00:03:00
Welch, Minnesota (United States) 2018-07-31 Other 00:02:00
Forest Lake, Minnesota (United States) 2018-07-23 Other 00:27:30
Burnsville, Minnesota (United States) 2018-07-14 Unknown 00:20:00
Minnetonka, Minnesota (United States) 2018-07-04 Flash 02:00:00
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota (United States) 2018-07-03 Square, Rectangular 00:10:00
Ellsworth, Wisconsin (United States) 2018-06-30 Unknown
Fridley, Minnesota (United States) 2018-06-26 Sphere 00:04:00
New Brighton, Minnesota (United States) 2018-06-21 Disc 00:03:00
Sauk Rapids, Minnesota (United States) 2018-04-21 Triangle 00:00:04
Saint Peter, Minnesota (United States) 2018-01-11 Diamond 00:10:00
Brooklyn Park, Minnesota (United States) 2018-01-03 Fireball 00:00:03
Shoreview, Minnesota (United States) 2018-01-01 Triangle 01:00:00
Columbus, MN (United States) 2017-12-19 sphere 15-20 minutes
Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States) 2017-11-29 Circle 00:05:00
Wyoming, Minnesota (United States) 2017-11-07 Star-like 00:03:00
Eden Prairie, Minnesota (United States) 2017-10-28 Saturn-like 01:03:11
Stacy, Minnesota (United States) 2017-09-26 Diamond 00:30:00
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota (United States) 2017-09-08 Unknown 00:08:00
Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota (United States) 2017-09-08 Other 00:08:00
Rosemount, Minnesota (United States) 2017-09-06 Fireball 00:10:00
Chaska, Minnesota (United States) 2017-08-30 Sphere 00:03:00
Mayer, Minnesota (United States) 2017-08-19 Square, Rectangular 00:05:00
Cokato, Minnesota (United States) 2017-08-18 Blimp 08:08:08
Rosemount, Minnesota (United States) 2017-08-04 Square, Rectangular 00:05:00
Saint Paul, Minnesota (United States) 2017-07-31 N, A 00:02:00