New Zealand UFO Sightings 2010
All sighting reports, photographs, drawings, and diagrams are Copyright UFOCUS NZ.
The extent of our investigation and analysis of sighting reports is dependent upon the data received, and the length of time elapsed between the sighting event and the receipt of a report. UFOCUS NZ investigation outcomes are included in our website reports, or if applicable, additional findings and comments are in a 'UFOCUS NZ comment' at the bottom of a report.
Date: Monday 12 July 2010 NEW
Time: 8 pm
Location: Torbay, Auckland, North Island
Special features/characteristics: bright light intensifying and disappearing
Description:
Duration of sighting 2-3 seconds.
The witness was outside his house in Torbay when he observed a light that he thought was a star or planet low in the northwestern sky. The light suddenly “went out” for a second, then reappeared in the same place, but now very much brighter in intensity, before switching off again completely.
UFOCUS NZ comment: Venus, Mars and Saturn are all visible in the NW sky this month, but their light intensity would remain constant, and they would not seem to appear or disappear unless there was dense cloud cover.
Date: Saturday 3 July 2010 NEW
Time: 7.40 – 7.50 pm
Location: Taupo, North Island
Special features/characteristics: 3 witnesses, 5 lights sighted
Description:
Sky clear with good visibility; no wind. Duration of sighting 6-8 minutes.
Three witnesses were driving from their home into central Taupo.
The driver (reporting witness) observed two orange/red coloured lights travelling in tandem, one behind the other, in a northwesterly direction. The other two witnesses could not see the lights at this stage, due to their positions in the car.
The reporting witness is familiar with conventional lights associated with helicopters and aircraft, and said these lights did not resemble either of these.
The witnesses reached their destination and got out of the car. They all observed a third light subsequently appear from the same direction and follow lights 1 and 2, with the same spacing between all the lights.
As light 1 disappeared, with lights 2 and 3 following the trajectory of light 1, the witnesses noticed a 4th light appear, now from the west, following the same trajectory with the same spacing (30 second interval) as between the first 3 lights.
As the witnesses watched these lights track across the sky, following exactly the same path (altitude, speed and distance, blinking out at the same point) they noticed a 5th light appear. The spacing between light 4 and 5 was double that between lights 1-4. The 5th light initially appeared to be brighter and bigger than the other 4, and covered the same flight path, blinking out in the same place as the other lights.
The lights all moved left to right across the sky in an arc, from approximately 300 degrees magnetic tracking toward the witnesses, and then turning away to disappear at approximately 045 degrees magnetic. There were no trees or hills to block the lights at the 045 degree point, and no sound could be heard from any of the lights.
The lights were approximately 5-6mm in size at arm’s length, and estimated to be approximately 1500 feet high. They were brighter than the moon, and they did not pulse or flash. The light from each source appeared to be consistent throughout the period of viewing, except for the brightness slightly increasing as they approached the witnesses, and diminishing slightly as they went away prior to reaching the point at which they each disappeared in a north easterly direction.
UFOCUS NZ Comment:
This sighting was the first such experience for the 3 witnesses, and made a considerable impact on their beliefs, opening up dialogue on a range of topics in a rewarding way for all of them. Two of the witnesses are Christians, and the reporting witness stated, “We already have a faith in something that ‘can’t be seen’, so it’s a very interesting experience for us, and not a great ‘stretch’ of our beliefs.”
The third witness would previously have considered himself an atheist and a sceptic of UFO sightings, putting them in the category of interestingly possible, but not probable. That has now changed.
Following the sighting the witnesses discovered UFOCUS NZ’s website and noticed the 24 April sighting over Taupo, which has similar elements. This prompted them to report their sighting.
With the witnesses' estimate of the light's size, approximate height of 1500 feet, and estimated distance from them of approximately 2000 metres, calculations indicate that the lights had an approximate speed of 110 kph.
Date: Friday 2 July 2010 NEW
Time: Approx 6.42 am
Location: Marybank, Nelson, South Island
Special features/characteristics: large bright white light
Description:
Clear sky, stars and moon visible. Duration of sighting approximately 2 minutes.
The witnesses observed a large bright white light, like a large star, moving from west to east across Nelson (between Marybank and the Glen). They did not observe any standard aircraft lights around the light, and there was no sound associated with the sighting. The lights continued on a steady low altitude path, disappearing over hills to the east.
At 6.59 am, the witnesses observed an Air New Zealand aircraft fly out of Nelson, heading north. They were able to see the conventional lights on this aircraft, and could hear the sound of the aircraft from indoors. The light they had observed earlier had none of these features. They noted that the bright light they had sighted had the same intensity throughout the sighting, unlike an aircraft's landing lights which brighten and diminish depending on how the aircraft is viewed.
Date: Monday 14 June 2010 NEW
Time: 8.36 pm
Location: Tokoroa, North Island
Special features/characteristics: bright red light executes acute-angled turn
Description:
Sky clear, a few stars. Duration of sighting approx 50 seconds.
While outside his home, the witness glanced up at the sky and noticed a large bright red light moving from north to south. As he was watching the light, it suddenly changed direction, executed a sharp 80-90 degree turn without any change in speed, and headed east. This manoeuvre would exclude a meteor or conventional aircraft.l
The witness called his partner to come and look at the light, which she did. The light continued in an easterly direction and passed directly overhead. There was no sound associated with the light. One of the witnesses ran through the house to the other side to watch the light progress across the sky. When the remaining witness lost sight of the light over the rooftop, he joined his partner. The witnesses looked for the light, but it had gone.
Date: Thursday 3 June 2010 NEW
Time: 6.15 pm
Location: Thames, Hauraki/Coromandel, North Island
Special features/characteristics: bright white light travelling at speed
Description:
Very clear sky, no cloud or wind; stars and Venus bright and visible.
Duration of sighting 1-2 minutes.
The witness, a science technician, who was very familiar with the night sky, was outside admiring Venus, which was bright in the sky. She and her nephew noticed another bright white light travelling low in the sky, at a steady, but fairly fast speed. There were no flashing lights as with an aircraft, and no noise. She described the size of the light as “slightly flattened (oval) pea size”.
The light approached from the direction of Auckland (NW), made a slight left-hand arc turn, rose in altitude and travelled across the western sky. The light became brighter than Venus, maintaining a steady brilliance and shape as it approached Thames. The light passed overhead and towards Kopu, becoming subsequently smaller and disappearing within the space of 2-3 seconds, as though it had accelerated at great speed to the SE.
Simultaneously, the witness watched an aircraft with its lights on land at Thames Airport, and noted the difference in speed and appearance. The witness has observed ISS passes over New Zealand, and noted the difference in size, appearance, speed, altitude, and trajectory, of the light she had observed, stating it was not the ISS. She estimated the light was at an altitude of approximately 1500 feet as it disappeared from view.
Date: Monday 17 or Tuesday 18 May 2010 NEW
Time: between 11pm and 2 am
Location: approx 100 km off the west coast of the North Island, observed from a yacht
Special features/characteristics: red lights rotating around an oval or circular object
Description:
Clear sky, many stars, meteors, planet, moon, satellites; north-easterly wind.
Duration of sighting approx 60 seconds.
The witnesses, a senior scientist, and a scientist and university professor, were heading north on a yacht approximately 100 km off the west coast of the North Island. They were on a sailing watch in the middle of the night, looking up at the stars non-stop for reference points to steer towards.
During this time they noticed 5-6 flashing red lights rotating around what appeared to be an oval (possibly circular) shaped airborne object. By comparison, the object appeared roughly the size of a thumbnail, when the hand is held at arm’s length. It appeared to be around 500 metres above sea level, moving towards them in an easterly direction, and closer than any aircraft they sighted throughout the journey. The object was moving slowly towards them at roughly a ‘ten o’clock’ position in the sky in relation to their direction, on their port (left) side. The witnesses watched it for about 20 seconds, discussing what it could be, then concurred it’s movements were too erratic and at times, too fast to be an aircraft.
The object hovered, then made erratic darting movements for about 30 seconds, disappeared and then reappeared in a similar location for about 10 seconds, then disappeared once more altogether, from a standstill or hovering position. The reporting witness stated there were no visible clouds in the vicinity that could account for its very sudden disappearance.
That night the witnesses observed shooting stars, which were nothing like the object they saw with a specific light configuration and rotating pattern. The lights of the gas rigs off the coast of New Plymouth were well behind the position of the yacht when they sighted the object. There were no other vessels in sight for much of the 4 day trip up the coast, and any the witnesses did see were in their starboard side closer to land.
Both witnesses got the feeling the object disappeared suddenly because they were observing it.
The reporting witness stated she had seen something very similar with her family, at night, between Rangitoto and Motutapu Island in the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland.
UFOCUS NZ comment:
1. The erratic movements observed (fast, darting, hovering, disappearing/reappearing) are not the flight characteristics of known conventional aircraft.
2. The light configuration observed (“5-6 flashing red lights rotating around what appeared to be an oval shaped object”) does not conform to legal requirements for light configurations of aircraft in NZ airspace.
3. The shape outlined by this light configuration (“oval”, possibly circular viewed side on) is not that of any known conventional aircraft.
4. Likewise, the description does not fit that of a satellite or natural phenomenon (meteor, fireball), and the witnesses eliminated the possibility of the light being associated with the gas rigs.
5. Nor does it sound like Chinese lanterns (100 km off the coast) or flares (lights were rotating and uniform, appearing and disappearing).
There are several factors mentioned in the report which are often reported by UFO witnesses worldwide:
1. The object moved erratically.
2. It had the ability to disappear and reappear in another position (extinguish its lights, move rapidly to another position, reactivate its lights? invisibility technology?), despite there being no clouds in the area at the time.
3. The witnesses, “both got the feeling that it disappeared suddenly because we were observing it”. This implies they felt the object somehow had intelligent comprehension and intent. This kind of comment is reported frequently in association with thought from the witness and a subsequent action/reaction by the light/object being observed.
Date: Monday 17 May 2010 NEW
Time: 6.45 pm
Location: Herne Bay, Auckland, North Island
Special features/characteristics: large red light
Description:
Clear sky with some stars. Duration of sighting 20 to 25 seconds.
Looking from Herne Bay, the witness observed a slow-moving light travelling from north to south. The light was larger than what you would expect to see on an aircraft, and was not flashing or strobing. It was round, a deep bright red and a ‘solid’ colour. It eventually faded and disappeared from view over distance. The slow speed, and colour of the light would exclude a meteor, or aircraft.
Date: Friday 14 May 2010 NEW
Time: 8.25 pm
Location: Bethlehem, Tauranga, North Island
Special features/characteristics: two large orange lights following one after the other
Description:
No wind, sky clear with a few clouds. Estimated cloud base at about 1500 feet.
The witness was walking through the Bethlehem Heights subdivision. He observed a bright shining orange light which he initially mistook for an orange street light. He noticed the light was approaching from the north over the suburb of Brookfield, at about the speed of a micro-light or Cessna aircraft. The light was below the clouds.
The light flew overhead, and as it did so, the light gradually diminished until it was no longer visible, and appeared to be obscured by a large dark object. There was no engine noise. The witness likened the fading of the light to an aircraft passing over with visible landing lights, which diminish and disappear from view as they are obscured by the aircraft.
As the light moved away, the witness observed a second light following it on the same course, passing over and disappearing at about 8:35 p.m. It looked the same as the first light/object. The witness phoned Tauranga Airport air traffic control at 9:45 a.m. the following day, but was advised they had no explanation for the lights.
UFOCUS NZ comment: At first the witness searched the Internet for possible explanations, and came across descriptions of orange Chinese lanterns. When UFOCUS NZ interviewed the witness, he was convinced the orange lights were likely to be lanterns. However, after further discussion, and examination of the event at the location of the sighting, he stated he had actually observed an orange light or lights, on a large dark object. The dark object was visible against the sky with the naked eye as it passed overhead. In his written description of the sighting, the witness referred to the object as a “craft”.
Diagram of a low-flying triangular cylinder/prism object with orange lights, which has been sighted recently overseas. Could the witness have observed a similar object over Bethlehem, Tauranga? See several other NZ reports below which also fit the description of this newly reported object worldwide.
Source of diagram: http://www.examiner.com/x-2363-UFO-Examiner~y2010m6d9-Trianglecylinder-UFO-spotted-by-North-Carolina-witness-50-feet-off-of-ground
Date: Wednesday 5 May 2010 NEW
Time: 5.10 am
Location: Ruatoki Valley, Whakatane, North Island
Special features/characteristics: large bright light low over landform
Description:
Duration of sighting one to two minutes. Clear sky, no wind.
The witness, a logging contract, was in the Ruatoki Valley, at the end of Grace Road by the Whakatane River. He observed a large bright white light, around the size of a ten cent coin held at arm's length. It was considerably brighter and larger than any planet he has seen. The light appeared from the direction of Whakatane in the north, moving in a straight line towards Opotiki in the east. The witness estimated the light was some 5 km away above the Ohope hills.
He observed the light through binoculars, and could not see strobe lights or other conventional lights that might indicate it was an aircraft. He stated that as the light moved away from him, the intensity and size of the light did not diminish, as the landing lights of an aircraft would have. The light was eventually lost from view over low ridge line.
Date: Sunday 2 May 2010 NEW
Time: 2.35 am
Location: Halcombe (near Bulls), North Island
Special features/characteristics: flashing coloured lights forming triangular shape
Description:
Duration of sighting approx 20 to 25 minutes. Clear sky, stars, little to no wind.
The witness observed a group of flashing lights that appeared to be a triangular shape. The lights flashed blue, green, red, yellow/white. The group of lights circled occasionally and appeared to move closer to the witness at one point.
The lights were viewed in the distance above treetop height, in the southwest.
UFOCUS NZ comment: Mount Biggs is to the southwest of the witness’s position, however from aeronautical maps, Mount Biggs does not appear to be high enough to have any obstruction lights on at. If the witness’s southwest line of sight is extended, it passes through Ohakea Air Force Base, and they are presently building a high hangar there. Ohakea ATC advised UFOCUS NZ there is a red hazard light on top of a tall crane working on the new hangar. It is possible the witness saw that light, and the changing light colours and appearance of movement could be due to atmospheric refraction caused by the distance between the observer and Ohakea Air Force Base.
Date: Saturday 24 April 2010
Time: Approx 10.30 pm
Location: Taupo, North Island
Special features/characteristics: 3 witnesses; several lights sighted; dark object with orange light.
Description:
Duration of sighting approx. 5 minutes.
Moonlight, stars, some clouds to the south, clear to the north.
The witness was located on the eastern side of Lake Taupo, looking west over the lake. He went out onto his deck and noticed a light breaking through clouds in the far distance, in the south-west. He initially thought it was an unusual aircraft light as it seemed to be orange, and bigger than aircraft landing lights. However there was no strobe light, or other conventional aircraft lights. He could not hear any sound associated with a light. The light was moving at a slower speed compared to the usual aircraft approaching the town. It could be seen through (beyond) bordering trees, flew horizontally, and then gradually rose higher. It was not particularly bright and was distorted by wispy clouds. The light was below cloud level and flying cross-wind.
Thinking the light was unusual, the witness called to his wife and son to come and have a look at it. They viewed the light through binoculars (8 power, 30 field of view). With the night sky lit by moonlight, they saw a very large saucer-shaped black shape, or object outlined above and behind the orange light, an oval shape with a sharpish ‘tail’. By now, they were able to see the outline of the object with the naked eye.
One witness noticed there was another light coming into view, following the same SW to NE trajectory, and within 30 seconds, another followed. They watched the lights climb high in the northern sky. Two further lights appeared following the same path, making a total of five lights sighted. All were the same size and brightness. The last two lights were photographed.
The last light appeared to be lower and closer than the preceding four, with the dark 'body' visible as an oval or elliptical shape with 'flat' orange lights around it's perimeter. This object climbed faster to the northeast until it was pin-size, as observed through binoculars. Due to circumstances, the witnesses were unable to ascertain whether the 2d, 3rd, and 4th lights were accompanied by dark shapes also.
In the photo the witness provided, the light is distinctive, with a vague triangular shape apparent to the left of, and above the light.
See similar sightings below.
Witness diagram
Date: Saturday 17 April 2010 NEW
Time: approximately 8.30 pm
Location: Wanganui, North Island
Special features/characteristics: a cluster of 8 high flying, pulsating lights
Description:
Strong wind blowing clouds across the sky; stars and the moon visible at times. Duration of sighting approx. 4-5 minutes.
Seven witnesses observed some 8 lights almost directly above them travelling from north to south towards Wellington. They estimated the lights were very high, flying in a reasonably close cluster, but in no particular formation. The lights were each 2-3 times the size of a star, were orange/red coloured, and pulsed. Two of the lights would blink out and then 30 seconds later reappear. The lights each appeared to be circular/ball shaped, and made no sound. They tracked toward the position of the moon in the sky, made a slow ‘U’ turn, and followed each other as they disappeared to the south behind clouds. One of the witnesses tried unsuccessfully to capture the lights on video.
Date: Thursday 15 April 2010
Time: 8.30 pm
Location: Glen Innes, Auckland, North Island
Special features/characteristics: large bright light
Description:
Duration of sighting 50 to 60 seconds. Clear sky, some stars.
Two witnesses observed a large bright light, brighter and larger than a satellite, moving across the sky north of Auckland, in a west to east direction. The witnesses felt curiosity as they believed it was not the landing lights of an aircraft due to its size and speed.
Date: Monday 12 April 2010
Time: 7.45 pm
Location: Pauanui Beach, Coromandel, North Island
Special features/characteristics: large triangular object with orange lights
Description:
Duration of sighting approx 50 seconds. Clear sky, a few stars, no wind.
The witness and her husband were standing outside their business premises, when they noticed a strange orange light in the sky out over the sea from west to east, approximately 30° above the horizon. The object remained at approximately the same relative height as it slowly tracked straight towards the witnesses. The object was large and triangular, and had one large orange light at the front, with about five smaller lights down two sides. The object did not change shape, but became bigger and more easily seen as it got closer to the witnesses.
The witness felt rather scared, and her husband initially thought it was a plane. His wife disagreed, pointing out that it had orange lights unlike an aircraft, and the lights were grouped in a way that outlined the object as a triangle.
As the couple watched, the object stopped dead still, started moving again, stopped, then moved again. It repeated this set of movements four times.
The object maintained the bright light intensity, and subsequently went from being fully lit and bright, to no lights at all, but a slight shimmer of light could still be seen for approximately two to three seconds before the object finally disappeared.
Both witnesses stood waiting for the object to reappear, but this did not occur. At this point the husband agreed it was not a plane.
The husband had also seen strange lights in the sky on two occasions at Piha Beach, West Auckland. He and his friends saw a disc with windows in it, that came over the top of the hills, hovered, came down above the end of the road, then shot up into the sky and disappeared. The other sighting was off the beach over the sea at Piha - a huge bright light that changed colours through green, blue, red, yellow, orange, and then just disappeared.
Date: Friday 9 April 2010
Time: 8.05 pm
Location: Cambridge, Waikato, North Island
Special features/characteristics: three distinctive triangular objects in a triangular formation
Description:
Excellent visibility; clear starry night. Duration of sighting three to four seconds.
The witness lives in the north-west side of Cambridge and was observing the night sky, wondering if he was going to see any shooting stars that evening.
He was facing north when he observed three distinctive triangular objects moving very fast overhead. The sky was cloudless, the Milky Way was clearly visible, and the objects came into view travelling in a northerly direction.
What made this sighting unusual was the speed at which the objects were travelling, not as fast as a shooting star, but much faster than any aircraft he had seen from that viewing position before. There was no sound from the three objects, however the witness could see and hear aircraft over Hamilton International Airport to the west. This factor reinforced the witness's initial thoughts that what he had just seen were not aircraft (by comparing sight and sounds).
The three objects were each approximately the size of his index finger held out at arm’s length (approximately 1 cm wide in the sky), and all three were uniform in triangular size and brightness throughout the sighting.
The objects were nearly as bright as a full moon, and were dullish grey in colour, with whiter coloured edges. There were no trails from behind them.
It was initially thought the objects could have been RAAF jets returning from Ohakea Airbase to Whenuapai Airbase, but the light patterns did not conform to that of any aircraft tracking in a northerly direction.
Our UFOCUS NZ investigator interviewed the witness on site, and estimated the objects appeared at approximately 55 to 60° above the horizon, and were lost from sight approximately 20° above the horizon on a steady south-north track. The objects maintained a steady illumination, and were eventually blocked from the witness’s view by a tree. It was not possible to estimate the height of the objects, however, for them to have a distinctly discernible triangular shape, their height would have been dependent on their relative size.
What made this sighting even more unusual was the triangular formation of the three triangular-shaped objects. Two of the objects were flying side by side in front, and the third was initially in the middle behind, but within the time they were viewed, the rear object made an exaggerated reverse ‘S’ flight pattern before resuming the same triangular formulation behind the other two objects.
The witness has spent many hours viewing the sky at night and is familiar with movement of shooting stars/satellites, as well as aircraft approaching and leaving Hamilton International Airport. He had never seen anything like these objects and their formation before. He was unable to find a logical explanation for the sighting.
Date: Friday 2 April 2010
Time: 7.50 pm
Location: New Plymouth, North Island
Special features/characteristics: bright light travelling at speed, then vanishes
Description:
Duration of sighting approx 30 seconds. Sun had set; clear, still evening, no wind.
The witness was looking north-east over New Plymouth Hospital. He observed a very white light (large - pea-sized), low over the horizon, moving from northeast to east, covering an approximate arc of 50° in 30 seconds. The light was larger and brighter than Venus (which was not yet visible in the night sky), and maintained the same light intensity until just prior to vanishing (blinking out) after approximately 30 seconds.
The light appeared to maintain a level flight path for the majority of the sighting, then looked as if it was moving away from the witness in the last five to 10 seconds (therefore unlikely to be a meteor).
Although the distance of the object from the observer was unable to be determined, to cover of the 50° and some 30 seconds, it can be assumed that its speed was considerable.
UFOCUS NZ comment: The witness is very familiar with the flight paths of aircraft into, and out of New Plymouth Airport, and advised that the object’s flight path did not conform to those tracks. It also did not conform to flight paths of helicopters going out to the off-shore oil rig, nor to the flight path that helicopters take when arriving/departing from the New Plymouth hospital helicopter landing pad.
The light could not have been the International Space Station (ISS), as the NASA website showed that the ISS would have tracked NW-ESE on 22/4/2010. It was not possible to obtain specific aircraft movement data from the New Plymouth control tower for that day, but from the witness’s description of the light intensity for the duration of the sighting, and the fact the light suddenly ‘vanished’, we consider it most unlikely the object would have been an aircraft. During the interview, the witness stated that on 3/4/2010 at a similar time, he saw a similar object on the reverse track to the 2/4 sighting, but the object was not as bright, although its path across the sky was similar to the first sighting.
Date: Tuesday 30 March 2010
Time: 8 pm
Location: Colson’s Hill, Tokoroa, North Island
Special features/characteristics: orange and white orb-like light
Description:
Duration of sighting approximately 40 seconds. Crystal clear weather conditions.
The witness had gone outside to get some firewood. He looked up at the sky above Colson's Hill and saw a light moving slowly. It was a large white orb of light, orange in the centre, with a deeper orange around the outside. It pulsed very slowly and regularly, much slower than a flashing strobe light. The light turned away from its track, at which point the lights dulled right down until the witness thought the light was going to go out. It then turned back again in the direction of the witness, at which point it brightened up to its original intensity. The light travelled across the sky a short distance, before turning away again, at which point the light dulled down and finally disappeared.
UFOCUS NZ comment: The light was too large (and orange) to be the landing lights of an aircraft. There was no sound despite the relatively close proximity, and the erratic movement of the light did not seem like the movement of an aircraft, or meteor.
The witness stated that another man at his workplace, told him he had seen a similar light above Tokoroa on Saturday 27 March. This sighting lasted about two or three minutes. This witness said the object was bright orange and appeared to diminish in brightness, and then brighten up again just as described above.
Date: Thursday 18 February 2010
Time: 9.45 pm
Location: Tairua, Coromandel Peninsula, North Island
Special features/characteristics: two bright lights with surrounding red glow
Description:
Duration of sighting 5 minutes. Heavy bank of cloud to the south, otherwise clear; no wind.
A witness initially sighted a bright red light with surrounding red-ringed glow, moving from the direction of Whitianga in the north, in a direct line beyond Tairua Harbour and Pauanui, heading south along the coast. The light was much bigger than a star (around ½ a small fingernail size, held at arm’s length), and was travelling slower than a small plane. There was no sound.
The witness watched the light for around one minute, when he noticed an identical second light appear from the north, following the same path as the first, around one kilometer behind.
The witness phoned his daughter, who also watched the second light also. They both watched the light(s) from different locations for a further 3-4 minutes before the lights were lost from view behind the cloudbank, one by one.
Date: Wednesday 10 February 2010
Time: 4 am
Location: Kawerau, Eastern BOP, North Island
Special features/characteristics: large bright white light
Description:
The witness, a logging contractor, sighted a large bright white light to the south of his position, moving from the direction of the township of Kawerau in the west, towards Waimana in the east. The light was close to the observer and moving low over tree tops. It disappeared behind pine trees on a ridge towards Waimana.
The light did not display strobe lights or any other conventional aircraft lighting. The light did not diminish in intensity or disappear as it moved across the sky, as the landing lights of an aircraft would.
Date: Monday 1 February
Time: 9.45 pm
Location: Waltham, Christchurch, South Island
Special features/characteristics: large bright white light
Description:
Dusk, clear with a few scattered clouds; wind northwest to southwest. Duration of sighting 1 minute.
The reporting witness’s wife saw an unusual light from her lounge window, and went outside to look at it, calling for her husband to join her. They both sighted a large bright white light, about the size of a ping-pong ball held at arm’s length moving across the sky from west to east, near Jade Stadium. They moved to the other side of their property to continue watching it as it moved into cloud. The husband fetched a ladder and climbed onto the garage roof to see if he could locate the light again, but it had gone.
The light maintained a steady speed in a straight line, and travelled faster than an aircraft. The witnesses did not hear any sound.
Date: Friday 29 January 2010
Time: 10.15 pm
Location: Nelson, South Island
Special features/characteristics: large bright white light
Description:
Duration of sighting 1-2 minutes. Clear, still night.
Two witnesses saw a large bright white light travelling from west to east, from north of Motueka, travelling across the bay and over the Glen (Nelson boulder bank), over the hills towards Blenheim.
The light was travelling higher than the altitude of planes that approach Nelson airport.
There were no flashing lights to be seen, as on an aircraft, and there was no sound from the light.
The light maintained a steady speed, path, and altitude.
UFOCUS NZ comment: We have ruled out meteor, aircraft and satellite. The International Space Station (ISS) was visible over NZ at the time, passing on a NW to SE trajectory, similar to this light, however these witnesses, and the witnesses in the report below, commented on the low altitude of the light - above the level of low-flying aircraft approaching Nelson Airport, but low over hilltops.
Date: Friday 29 January 2009
Time: 10 pm
Location: Havelock, Lower Pelorus Valley, Marlborough, South Island
Special features/characteristics: ball of bright white light
Description:
Duration of sighting 3 to 4 minutes. Clear night sky, no clouds, no one is, very good visibility. Full moon and some stars. Viewed with binoculars.
The witness was on the phone, sitting on her veranda at around 10 p.m. She noticed what looked like a large bright star moving across the sky and over the valley in a south easterly direction towards the township of Blenheim. As it got closer, she could see that it was a large ball of bright white light - not sparkling, and with no tail. It was travelling at a low altitude over the hilltops - much lower than most planes seen in that area (hills approx 700 feet high).
Its speed was steady, “Not zipping across the sky by any means, yet not slow either.”
It did not vary its path, and appeared to keep a constant altitude. There was no sound on its approach or as it passed (the family is quite familiar with the different sounds of a range of different aircraft that fly over the rural area - there was no sound from this object.)
Her husband also saw the object and viewed it through binoculars. He was unable to determine any detail - just ball of light. They watched the light for several minutes as it travelled beyond trees on hilltops at the back of their property.
The witness was on the phone to her mother, who lives in Blenheim, when she sighted the object. Blenheim is 60 km from the witness’s property. The mother went outside while on the phone, and also saw the object. They both hung up their phones in order to fetch cameras, but there was not enough time to get an image.
The witness spoke to her mother again, who told her the light had kept moving in a south easterly direction over Blenheim, towards Marfell's Beach, heading out to sea south east of Wellington. She also described the object as a ball of white light.
UFOCUS NZ comment: We have ruled out meteor, aircraft and satellite. The International Space Station (ISS) was visible over NZ at the time, passing on a NW to SE trajectory, similar to this light, however these witnesses, and the witnesses in the report above, commented on the low altitude of the light - above the level of low-flying aircraft approaching Nelson Airport, but low over hilltops.
Date: Monday 25 January
Time: approx 10.30 pm
Location: Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty, North Island
Special features/characteristics: reddish orange light executes right-angled turn
Description:
Starry night, generally clear with some cloudy patches, no wind.
Duration of sighting 30-45 seconds.
The witness, a medical practitioner, was taking a late walk along Mount Maunganui Beach. He had just followed the progress of a satellite across the sky and out of view, when he caught sight of a new light moving. He assumed this was a satellite too as it was a similar size, and travelling at a similar speed, but was a reddish/orange colour.
He watched the light travel in a southerly direction for some 20 seconds, but then it immediately performed a 90 degree turn without any change in speed. After another 10 seconds, the light changed direction abruptly again and seemed to travel at a slower speed, taking some 5-10 seconds to disappear as it rose higher in the sky, fading from view.
The witness has observed plenty of satellites over the years, but has never seen a light in the sky before that moved in this way. It was not an aircraft, a satellite, or a meteor. The sudden 90 degree turn startled him.
Date: Monday 25 January 2010
Time: 10.37 pm
Location: Heathcote Valley, Christchurch, South Island
Special features/characteristics: bright orange ball of light (photographed)
Description:
Clear sky, no wind.
The witness was sitting in his living room looking out the window, when he caught sight of a bright orange ball of light in the east. It appeared to be flickering around the edges like a fireball, or as if it had softer light around the edges.
The witness ran outside and observed it move from right to left in a straight line, until it had moved halfway across his field of vision. It then moved back to the right, was still a few seconds, and then moved vertically downwards in a straight line until it was out of view, obscured by houses. The witness described the light moved much faster than the jet, but commented he had never seen any aircraft move “perfectly downwards like that.”
UFOCUS NZ comment: The witness was able to take a photograph of the object as it was moving downwards. The photograph, although taken from a distance, shows a bright orange light in the sky.
Date: Saturday 9 January 2010
Time: 11.38 pm
Location: above the Ruahine Ranges, near Tikokino, Hawkes Bay, North Island
Special features/characteristics: two orange orbs of light moving erratically
Description:
Duration of sighting approx 8 minutes in total. Very clear starry night, good visibility. The witness lives in a small country town where there is little light reflected into the sky.
A witness was outside in the evening when he noticed two “blobs” of orange light in the northern sky above the Ruahine Ranges. They were “darting about in the sky, dancing toward and away from each other and moving up and down over the entire period.”
The higher object of the two appeared to move towards the other from time to time, but without touching it. At times, the lower light would briefly disappear and reappear a couple of seconds later. The witness described the lights as larger than stars, and with a translucent look about them.
The witness thought at first that his eyes were adjusting to the dark light outside, so he looked away and back to be sure of what he was seeing, and moved away from the house lights. He watched the lights for six minutes, wondering what they were, and then went inside.
Approx 30 minutes later, he heard his dog barking and went outside to investigate the cause. He noticed the lights were still moving in the same erratic pattern and in the same location, and watched them for a further 2 minutes.
The witness at first wondered if the lights could have been created by two lasers, but discounted this thought, given the rural area he lives in and the fact the lights were high in the sky, and distant over remote ranges.
Witness's artistic impression of what he observed. Lines indicate erratic movement.
Date: Thursday 7 January 2010 NEW
Time: 10.20 pm
Location: Rototuna North, Hamilton, North Island
Special features/characteristics: three disc-shaped objects changing flight formation
Description:
The witness went outside to check on a malfunctioning security light. On turning to go back inside the house, he happened to look into the eastern night sky and saw three disc-shaped objects coming towards him flying in a ‘single echelon formation’ (one behind the other the other on an angle). The objects were travelling at considerable speed.
As the objects approached the witness could see that each one was a deep grey in colour, initially almost blending into the night sky, but becoming clearer as they got closer to his position. Still maintaining their rapid speed, they passed directly overhead, at which point he noticed they had changed colour from grey, to a deep orange with a reddish hue. At the same time, and equally as instantly, they changed flight formation from a ‘single echelon’ to a ‘double echelon (triangular) formation’. All movements were conducted with speed and precision. The objects were completely silent as they traversed the sky, east to west.
UFOCUS NZ comment: See similar sightings:
Saturday 2 January 2010
Friday 9 April 2010
Monday 12 April 2010
Friday 14 May 2010
Saturday 3 July 2010
Date: Saturday 2 January 2010
Time: 10.20 pm
Location: Maungatapu, Tauranga, North Island
Special features/characteristics: disc-shaped object and large orange light
Description:
Full moon, some high cloud, starry night, no noticeable wind. Sighting duration approx. 30 seconds.
Four witnesses observed two large bright orange lights of constant intensity. They were first observed approximately 1 km distant, high above the Turret Road Bridge, moving in a straight easterly direction towards Te Puke. The two lights were moving directly towards the witnesses, one following close behind the other.
Immediately after the lights were first sighted by the witnesses, the first or leading light “went out,” and the witnesses were able to clearly see a grey, disc-shaped grey object pass directly overhead, followed by the second orange light some 50 m behind. The disc-shaped object had a small red light rotating rapidly clockwise around the circumference at approximately one revolution per second. The lights moved at a steady pace, at an estimated altitude of 300 metres. Both objects maintained constant height, speed and direction during the sighting, and travelled silently.
The reporting witness stated that from his position beneath the object, it appeared a perfect disc-shape, and he was able to view it from different perspectives as it passed over. He could not estimate the depth of the disc. He could tell it was grey, as there was reasonable light reflecting from the city on the underside of it.
After passing over, the object and following light were briefly obscured from view by trees. The witness moved position and observed them disappearing into the distance at the same height, speed and direction, towards the township of Te Puke.
The witnesses were adamant the lights/objects displayed controlled flight, but were not aircraft, and were not drifting, as balloons or lanterns would do (and there was no wind). Lanterns would be subject to wind flow and not likely to maintain a steady course for long. The witnesses recorded their observations immediately after the sighting.
They stated, “The brightness of the lights we observe would have been like several hundred watts of constant intensity on a controlled flight path. With no noticeable wind from our position, it would not explain the speed of the object less than 500 m overhead. The high cloud was also not moving fast and I suspect that any local prevailing wind currents on the night could be confirmed as not being in the direction of the objects movement.”
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