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2006 Sightings Date: Sunday 5 November
2006 Description: Witnesses had two sightings of similar objects approx. 20 minutes apart. Each sighting lasted approx. 2 minutes. It was a beautiful evening with a full moon and some stars. There was some slight cloud cover, with virtually no wind. The witnesses live high up in a rural farming area. They stated that although this sighting occurred on Guy Fawkes night, the lights they observed were definitely not fireworks - traveling horizontally across the sky for some 20 kms until lost from view. They stated that very few farming families in their area let off fireworks earlier that evening anyway, because of the farm animals Sighting 1: The witness and two of his sons (aged 9 &11) were outside attempting to catch a rooster off the roof of the henhouse. They noticed an unusual light approaching in the sky, just to the south of their house. They called the rest of the family, his wife and 4 children, from inside the house to watch this unusual light. It crossed the sky heading west to east, traveling at a moderate but steady speed reasonably high up, but below the clouds. The parents were able to watch it through binoculars before it disappeared into the distance. The family remained outside tending to the henhouse. Sighting
2: Quote from witness: "It was with disbelief that we
saw the next (second light) appear and we all got to see it clearly as
it was lower ( larger than pea size). A bright yellow intense light with
a red pulsing centre, flying at a steady rate from the direction of the
Kaimais across the full range of the sky until it disappeared from view
over the Welcome Bay/ Papamoa Hills. When viewed through the binoculars,
you could very clearly see the centre pulsing or flaring. This second
light flew over the treetops and we were able to watch it travel across
the sky and eventually disappear. We all stood there trying to rationalize
what we were seeing, but it was like nothing we had ever seen before. There was
no noise; there were no other blinking lights (as on a plane or helicopter),
it wasn't a flare, or satellite or meteor - and it most certainly wasn't
a firework!
We have found a photo and report of a similar light / shape that was sighted in California on 5 November 2006 (US time). The Oropi witnesses have confirmed that this daylight sighting is very similar in appearance to what they observed although the light was more orange in the night sky. They stated, “When we looked at the link you sent us, we just stared and all our hair ‘stood on end’! It looked so much like what we saw.”
Date: Tuesday 1st August
2006 Description: A witness was standing on his back doorstep, when he noticed a beam of
light extending down over a hill approx. 1.2 kms from his house (looking in
a northerly direction over bush-clad hills). Suddenly the beam disappeared
and a large, bright yellowish light appeared and hovered soundlessly over
the hill around 300-400ft above the summit. The witness watched it briefly
and then called another witness from inside the house to video the light
(captured on digital camera). After 30 seconds or so, the light began
to move around above the hill, changing direction frequently. Two other
lights began to flash forming a triangular shape in the sky, two bright
yellowish/white and one orange. The lights flashed on and off randomly,
although they all moved about in unison or formation, as the light/object
moved about. The witnesses believed the lights were all on one object,
rather than a group of three separate objects. They considered the initial sudden
appearance and the 'behaviour' of the light/object very strange. The video footage shows a 'falling leaf' or 'swaying' type of movement, with sudden changes of direction, followed by a rotation of the three bright lights in triangular formation, executing a flat, angular turn on a flat plane (not banking like an aircraft), blunt-end-forward, as the light/object began to move off. The light configuration appeared to be on a large, flattish object, possibly triangular. The sighting lasted around 2 minutes and ceased when the lights "just flicked off like a light switching off". Air Traffic Control has established
that it was not an aircraft. The possibility that it may have been a police
helicopter was ruled out when ATC viewed the footage, as the light configuration
did not resemble that of a helicopter. The entire sighting captured on
video shows 9 out of the 15 main characteristics of 'black triangle' craft,
sightings of which are increasing worldwide. At the time of this sighting,
reports were made of unusual lights in the night sky all over the southern
North Island.
Still shots from the video. A single light is seen flashing on and off in the video, in the centre of the triangular light configuration.
Date: Sunday 21 May 2006 Description: The sighting took place when the witness and his companion were travelling to Lake Wairarapa early Sunday morning to go duck shooting. The reporting witness has over 30 years experience hunting and tramping in the Rimutaka Ranges. The companions travelled out through Upper Hutt, over the Rimutaka Ranges, and then proceeded through Featherston into the Martinborough area. Their final destination was to be a 'maimai' (camouflaged duck shooting shelter) located near Kahutara, Lake Wairarapa. It was early morning; the conditions were clear at the time, with no wind or moon. The witnesses first spotted the unusual light between 5 and 5.30 am, when driving through Kaitoke, north of Upper Hutt on the approach to the Rimutaka Ranges. It was directly ahead of them over the hills; a large, bright purple\blue light, which changed to yellow and then white. The light initially appeared to be oval in shape, but its shape then became distorted or fuzzy. As the witnesses drew closer to the hills, the light moved and suddenly appeared very close to them, almost over them at one stage, before returning back to its original position at approximately 30-35 degrees above the ranges. They noticed that there was no sound accompanying the movement of the light close to them. The witnesses described the light as having soft hues that appeared to glow. They described the size of the light as 'substantial'. The light remained in view for approximately another 20-25 minutes until the men drove over the ranges and down the other side towards Featherstone. At this stage they lost sight of the light because of the close proximity of hill ridgelines (see Map 1). The men continued on their way discussing what they had seen. (The reporting witness had observed a similar unusual light on the West Coast of the South Island many years ago). Upon arriving at the maimai, located at the north eastern end of Lake Wairarapa, the men busied themselves preparing for the mornings shooting. Once settled in the maimai, the witnesses were facing in a southwesterly direction overlooking the lake, waiting for ducks to show up! The sun had not yet risen. Shortly after 6 pm, the men
noticed a glow behind a hill some 12 kms distant (an estimate). (The hill
is called Maunganui; see Map 2). Near the hill was a flat plateau along
Western Lake Road. The witnesses observed this whole area - and the surrounding
hills also - light up as if in daylight, and they saw a glowing light
visible above Maunganui. This brilliant expanse of light remained constant
for approx. 10 minutes before suddenly extinguishing, leaving the area
in semi-darkness again before sunrise. The area that was lit up is sparsely
populated, with only a few farms in the area. Both men were left baffled
by this strange spectacle.
Date: 20 April 2006 Description: He states that in the same area of sky he has observed commercial aircraft approaching from Tauranga and other centres before turning into their final leg of the approach to Rotorua Airport. He is familiar with the lighting effects of the evening flights, and also with space station passings, irridum flares and satellites. The fast-moving, horizontal light he observed was nothing like any of these.
Date: Thursday 23 February
2006 Description: The witness to the sighting is a 26 year old male saw-mill operator. The
sighting occurred when he was walking home along Cameron Road, between
10th and 11th Avenues, having visited friends. As the lights came closer he saw that they were large, circular, and bright
yellow/white. He described them as, "Like bright dinner plates -
flat, not sending out a beam or glow of light, but still extremely bright."
The formation was "bigger than a car, but smaller than a house."
He became apprehensive when the lights changed configuration as they came
closer and passed overhead. The two rear lights moved forwards diagonally,
and merged with the leading light briefly becoming one, before moving
back to the triangular formation. The witness said, "It was quick
- and you could see an 'after-blur' of the movement." Hamilton Air Traffic Control informed UFOCUS NZ that there were no scheduled aircraft in the Tauranga area at that time and date. Both Tauranga and Rotorua airports were closed for the night. An unofficial source informed us that there may have been SAS manoeuvres in the area at that time, possibly in conjunction with the airforce. However, following enquiries with Whenuapai Operations, we were told that there were no military aircraft in the area at that time and date. SAS manoeuvres took place in following weeks.
The triangular formation of lights moved in a northerly direction. The rear two lights merged with the lead light becoming one, then returned to the triangular configuration. This pattern was repeated as the lights moved across the sky. Check out other international sightings of mysterious triangular craft or lights. |
