Possible UFO Sighting over Tennessee, USA

[mayday]

My husband and two of the kids were spending some time at one of our properties and about 8:45pm say they saw an object in the sky moving silently and it had no blinking lights, which is required on all aircraft. The light was white. Also, the dogs started barking, though they can't know for sure this is what the dogs were barking at.

It's really funny, because while they were over there I was at the main house watching youtube and came across this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oda2qm0We8E

Still not sure what I think of that alleged phone call, but if it is real it's pretty creepy.

[Miss Whiplash]

It was Elvis flying a deep fried banana & peanut butter on white bread sandwich.

[I Ratant]

A white light moving at a goodly rate, with no noise is in all likliehood a satellite.
The phone call is merely one loon talking to another.

[grayman]

Go to Heavens Above (http://www.heavens-above.com/) and you'll find out when satellites will pass over your area. It has other useful information on planets, stars and more as well.

It's a fun site and educational. Try it.

[fishbait]

...it had no blinking lights, which is required on all aircraft. The light was white. .

Nope, not required. FAR Part 91.209 provides that all aircraft only be equipped with position lights. These are steady burning lights on each wing and tail and do not blink. Many aircraft do have blinking or strobing anti-collision lights in addition to position lights, but they are not required.

You may have seen the steady white tail light of an airplane not equipped with a strobing anti-collision light system.

[mayday]

Ok, a satellite is a good explanation.

If that is what it was.

[Locknar]

Just for kicks...what part of TN (nearest city, a county?), and the date your husband/kids saw this object (7 JUN 08?)?

[mayday]

Go to Heavens Above (http://www.heavens-above.com/) and you'll find out when satellites will pass over your area. It has other useful information on planets, stars and more as well.

It's a fun site and educational. Try it.

According to Heavens Above there were no satellites or flares scheduled to fly over my area last night (Nashville area).

[Miss Whiplash]

Could have also been a plane with landing lights.

[ksbluesfan]

The June Lyrids meteor shower could be a little early.

[Locknar]

According to Heavens Above there were no satellites or flares scheduled to fly over my area last night (Nashville area).Given the date of 8 JUN, in Nashville....with ~20% cloud cover, the ISS & current shuttle mission (http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/cities/view.cgi?country=United_States&region=Tennessee&city=Nashville)would have been visable (as a bright, non-blinking light) in the sky around the time you mention.

This, or a plane (which is not required to have flashing/strobe type lights), would seem to be the best explanations of what your husband/kids claim to have seen.

[Beerina]

Nope, not required. FAR Part 91.209 provides that all aircraft only be equipped with position lights. These are steady burning lights on each wing and tail and do not blink. Many aircraft do have blinking or strobing anti-collision lights in addition to position lights, but they are not required.

I've seen jets without blinking lights.

One was an odd triangle of 3 lights (prolly the source of half the "triangle UFO" stories) that seemed to just hover in the air at about a 30 degree angle from me one night (we were sitting outside watching fireworks.)

It seemed too high for a helicopter, which would be odd for 3 lights like that anyway. And a plane would be moving, which this was not.

After about 10 minutes, the thing slowly started moving, and within 20 seconds it wooshed close by overhead with a roar. It was a big jet coming in for a landing at a local airport. I surmise it had been on a descent path and angle that was more or less directly at my eyeball, hence the lights "didn't move", although they would have gotten subtly and slowly further apart, which I obviously may not have noticed.

So yes, someone could watch something for awhile, then see it either disappear in a closer, much lower cloud bank (especially if they weren't watching it for a few seconds when this happened) or left before it could woosh overhead.

Then it's ZOMGUFOPWNED!

[Neutiquam Erro]

I have nothing to add to this, other than to say that I live in Nashville, and I'm pretty tired of military jets buzzing my house, scaring my dogs and kids and even knocking things off of shelves. They've been doing it all week, I suppose to entertain the imbecilic crowds at the CMA events downtown. The dog's not crazy about the midnight fireworks every night, either.

[mayday]

I have nothing to add to this, other than to say that I live in Nashville, and I'm pretty tired of military jets buzzing my house, scaring my dogs and kids and even knocking things off of shelves. They've been doing it all week, I suppose to entertain the imbecilic crowds at the CMA events downtown. The dog's not crazy about the midnight fireworks every night, either.

I stay as far away from downtown Nashville as I can. I'm actually 60 miles from Nashville, but had to travel downtown quite a bit when my husband was in Centennial for his radical nephrectomy a couple of months ago.

We do experience a lot of activity from Ft. Campbell, but it's so loud there is no mistaking. We've seen some pretty creepy looking aircraft flying over, but again, it's so loud you have to cover your ears. Also, a lot of times it's a convoy of helicopters or jets and they fly real low over my property. Very annoying.

[tiger]

My husband and two of the kids were spending some time at one of our properties and about 8:45pm say they saw an object in the sky moving silently and it had no blinking lights, which is required on all aircraft. The light was white. Also, the dogs started barking, though they can't know for sure this is what the dogs were barking at.

It's really funny, because while they were over there I was at the main house watching youtube and came across this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oda2qm0We8E

Still not sure what I think of that alleged phone call, but if it is real it's pretty creepy.

Boy you sure have alot of strange experences, Mayday! Alot more than the normal person ever will in several life times! Hey if that UFO was flying high enough they could have spotted your bulldozer!

[dudalb]

Anybody remember a computer game called "Redneck Rampage",which was essetntial a bunch of Good Old Boys Hillbillies whup the butt of invading aliens.

[Neutiquam Erro]

Yankees who don't understand the appeal of grits have obviously never considered their hallucinogenic properties.

[pastime]

Could have also been a plane with landing lights.

If it had been spotted over Memphis, I might have believed the flying sandwich hypothesis.;)

[Miss Whiplash]

Yankees who don't understand the appeal of grits have obviously never considered their hallucinogenic properties.

Grits 'n Shrimp...

The colors! The colors! :D

[grayman]

Anybody remember a computer game called "Redneck Rampage",which was essetntial a bunch of Good Old Boys Hillbillies whup the butt of invading aliens.

All ya gotta do is ask (http://tsbolton.com/bertramslair/). :)

The music's kinda toe-tappin'.

[skeptic of oz]

I know they are often asked questions but to this day the believers have never given me any answer:
Why do UFOs
(a) always seem to appear at night
(b) American sightings always seem to appear in small rural towns...:confused:

[mayday]

I know they are often asked questions but to this day the believers have never given me any answer:
Why do UFOs
(a) always seem to appear at night
(b) American sightings always seem to appear in small rural towns...:confused:

Answer to A and B is: they don't.

[skeptic of oz]

Good response Mayday but I hope you understand that that's exactly what I felt. I suppose I should've emphasised the seem in "seem to appear":)

[Hellbound]

On a per capita basis, that's true. Assuming even distribution, the percentages are much higher to see a UFO at night (or other low visibility conditions) and in areas away from major population centers. There are at least three reasons for this (probably more):

1. Flying objects are more easily identified during the day, because you can see that (for example) the "triangle of lights" are actually nose and wing lights on a plane.
2. More people are active and about during the day, leading to more witnesses. More witnesses means a higher chance of a person witnessing the object that can actually identify it.
3. The same reasoning from number 2 applies tothe urban/rural distinction. In large cities/population centers, there are more people, which means more of a chance of one of the witnesses identifiying the object before self-deception convinces the crowd it's a flying saucer. "Hey, Bob, lukit thet!" "That luks liak uh fly in sawser!" "No, guys, that's a searchlight from the Midnight Madness sale over at the mall, hitting the bottom of the clouds" "Oh, guess iyet's nuthin than, Bob"

:D

[madurobob]

I know they are often asked questions but to this day the believers have never given me any answer:
Why do UFOs
(a) always seem to appear at night
(b) American sightings always seem to appear in small rural towns...:confused:

Hmm.. my question has always been "why do these assumed extra-terrestrial craft have lights?" Having lights would seem to suggest they want to be seen. But, the lack of any credible sightings suggest they are not very good at being seen. Stoopid aliens.

[skeptic of oz]

Hmm.. my question has always been "why do these assumed extra-terrestrial craft have lights?" Having lights would seem to suggest they want to be seen. But, the lack of any credible sightings suggest they are not very good at being seen. Stoopid aliens.

Yes I'm open minded about the possibility of other life in the universe but all specualtion (reasoned and scientific that is) seems to suggest that other life forms would be much more advanced.
So, yeah great post and yes, I'm sure aliens wouldn't be that stupid.
Of course (as we've established) they haven't even been here.

[mayday]

Hmm.. my question has always been "why do these assumed extra-terrestrial craft have lights?" Having lights would seem to suggest they want to be seen. But, the lack of any credible sightings suggest they are not very good at being seen. Stoopid aliens.

They have lights probably for the same reasons we do.

Lights have more than one purpose, you know.

[madurobob]

They have lights probably for the same reasons we do.

Lights have more than one purpose, you know.

So they can fly across the galaxy at speeds that outstrip the capability of headlights, avoiding planets, asteroids and each other.. but need headlights to navigate our skies?

[Locknar]

So they can fly across the galaxy at speeds that outstrip the capability of headlights, avoiding planets, asteroids and each other.. but need headlights to navigate our skies?Well there is that...and then the need to call attention to themselves so folks can take all those low quality pictures and videos.

Anyway, the FAA requires them...and we all know the ETs want to be law abiding while visiting.

[I Ratant]

Just where are uninvited anal probing activities legal?

[madurobob]

Just where are uninvited anal probing activities legal?

Ask Phylis Schlafley. Apparently this is entirely legal in her mind as long as the two are married. So... I suspect the aliens are performing a wedding service first, then probing legally.

[Quicksword]

My husband and two of the kids were spending some time at one of our properties and about 8:45pm say they saw an object in the sky moving silently and it had no blinking lights, which is required on all aircraft. The light was white. Also, the dogs started barking, though they can't know for sure this is what the dogs were barking at.

It's really funny, because while they were over there I was at the main house watching youtube and came across this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oda2qm0We8E

Still not sure what I think of that alleged phone call, but if it is real it's pretty creepy.
One Amazing Kreskin show many years ago was about UFO's. Kreskin stated that UFO's are mass hysteria and he could prove it. SO, he took his audience of about 50 people out into the TV studio parking lot. It was a dark night. Then, Kreskin began shouting that there was or were UFO's up in the sky above them. He asked the audience if they saw them too and pointed out a few with blinking and colored lights.
Within a span of 15 minutes, almost to aperson they were seeing UFO's above the parking lot. Audience members described in detail what they were seeing and many saw the same thing but a variation on the theme. It got to a point that the audience members were panicked, scared and screeming to call the police, and someone to get pictures of these UFO's. Of course there were NO UFO's above the parking lot. Quicksword

[dudalb]

All ya gotta do is ask (http://tsbolton.com/bertramslair/). :)

The music's kinda toe-tappin'.


Thanks! I might actually try the fix for getting the games to run under Windows XP.

[mayday]

One Amazing Kreskin show many years ago was about UFO's. Kreskin stated that UFO's are mass hysteria and he could prove it. SO, he took his audience of about 50 people out into the TV studio parking lot. It was a dark night. Then, Kreskin began shouting that there was or were UFO's up in the sky above them. He asked the audience if they saw them too and pointed out a few with blinking and colored lights.
Within a span of 15 minutes, almost to aperson they were seeing UFO's above the parking lot. Audience members described in detail what they were seeing and many saw the same thing but a variation on the theme. It got to a point that the audience members were panicked, scared and screeming to call the police, and someone to get pictures of these UFO's. Of course there were NO UFO's above the parking lot. Quicksword


Yea, well, that's what happens when you take people from the children's colony (home for the retarded) on a field trip.

Of course, they would use lights on their flying machines. I don't know why that seems so...alien to you. The stars in the sky make light, lights are all around us. If aliens walk on two legs they would use lights. That just goes without saying.

[grayman]

If aliens walk on two legs they would use lights. That just goes without saying.

Birds walk on two legs. Most birds fly. Never seen a bird with navigation lights.

Never seen a flying object that couldn't be explained either.

Remember mayday, the "U" in UFO stands for unidentified. Nothing more.

BTW, I do believe there's extra-terrestrial life of some sort out there. I just haven't seen any worthwhile evidence that they've visited our planet.

[tiger]

Yea, well, that's what happens when you take people from the children's colony (home for the retarded) on a field trip.

Of course, they would use lights on their flying machines. I don't know why that seems so...alien to you. The stars in the sky make light, lights are all around us. If aliens walk on two legs they would use lights. That just goes without saying.


Talk about field trips well well well lets bring some lights on your next one!

[madurobob]

Of course, they would use lights on their flying machines. I don't know why that seems so...alien to you. The stars in the sky make light, lights are all around us. If aliens walk on two legs they would use lights. That just goes without saying.

WHY do they use lights on their flying machines?

[EHocking]

Yea, well, that's what happens when you take people from the children's colony (home for the retarded) on a field trip.How charming you are...
They have lights probably for the same reasons we do.

Lights have more than one purpose, you know
Of course, they would use lights on their flying machines. I don't know why that seems so...alien to you. The stars in the sky make light, lights are all around us. If aliens walk on two legs they would use lights. That just goes without saying.
None of the moon landers had lights.
None of the mars landers had lights.
None of Soyez, Apollo, International Space Station or Shuttles have lights.

ETA. Correction Space Shuttle Endeavour (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty1osl0C2AU)had a single flashing light just in front of the tail. Only visible on a night landing and then only on the approach.

What, then, persuades you to assert "They have lights probably for the same reasons we do" and "Of course, they would use lights on their flying machines"?

[Locknar]

What, then, persuades you to assert "They have lights probably for the same reasons we do" and "Of course, they would use lights on their flying machines"?Maybe she thinks they are helping in the seach of the lost "dozer"?

[madurobob]

Maybe she thinks they are helping in the seach of the lost "dozer"?

Yay! favorite movie of my youth: Killdozer (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071717/)! A big Cat D9 becomes sentient and goes on a rampage on a pacific island.

Good times.

(or, were you thinking of something else?)

[Yeah_Right]

Here's an interesting thought, well maybe, I was wondering when did the government require aircraft to have lights. I am not sure that WW1 aircraft had lights of any sort. Though I think WW2 types did. Hmmm, let me see, no landing lights on older aircraft, no mysterious lights in the sky, government later requiring landing lights, a whole mess of mysterious lights. Might be a connection there.

[Locknar]

Here's an interesting thought, well maybe, I was wondering when did the government require aircraft to have lights. I am not sure that WW1 aircraft had lights of any sort. Though I think WW2 types did. Hmmm, let me see, no landing lights on older aircraft, no mysterious lights in the sky, government later requiring landing lights, a whole mess of mysterious lights. Might be a connection there.
["Amazingly wrong conclusion" mode]Yeah...I think you are onto something there.

So what you are saying is, the ETs are our friends and obey our laws as a demonstration of this. It is all so clear now![/mode]

[Yeah_Right]

Locknar, wow has Mayday invaded your brain????. Anyway I did some minor research on the web about the history of lights on aircraft. IAircraft lighting was first introduced in the 1920s. After I found that out I did a search to see if there might be some correlation between that and UFO sightings. Interestingly enough I came across a UFO website where there were supposed UFO sightings as early as the 1920s. Now I probably need to do further investigation to completely tie the two things together, but I do find it interesting that there seems to be somewhat of a match.

[Correa Neto]

Interesting!
And what about blimps? Any regulation on their lights?

Many UFO sightings from late XIX and early XX century could be linked to Zeppelins.

[Hellbound]

Isn't it obvious?

The government was in on the UFO conspiracy from the start! They decided to put lights on airplanes because the aliens told them too! That way, the alien UFOs could be written off as airplane lights!!!

:D

[Locknar]

Locknar, wow has Mayday invaded your brain????.Parish the thought! Perhaps you overlooked, the "Amazingly wrong conclusion" mode (think Homer Simpson, for example) I used *lol*

Actually, I think your quick research has merit in that since flight (balloons, aircraft, etc.) the number of UFO sightings has increased; just more in the sky for folks to see.

Case in point, what Mayday's hubby/kids saw was more then likely the ISS & Shuttle (just another object in the sky).