Light over Faribault, MN
A witness account on file, unevaluated. Most of the archive rests here, and honestly so.
The report, as filed
I was taking out the trash at my work, and then walked around the perimeter of the hotel in the pouring rain and I just happened to loo
Held as-reported from National UFO Reporting Center. Witness text is preserved verbatim, including its spelling; nothing is edited beyond formatting.
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Routed to: Federal Aviation Administration · records window 2011-03-19 → 2011-04-05
From the same sky
Related entries
April 14, 2019 · 10:00 PM · TRIANGLE
Faribault, MN
While out in our yard we saw what was to be a black Triangle with three orange-red circles glowing from underneath. The sighting lasted about four seconds and then it vanished from our sight. It was a clear night with no planes or helicopters in the area. It didnt not make any noise, it was only one that we saw. Our dog started to whine at the time, which I have no idea if one t hing had to do with another but as soon as it vanished our dog settled down a few minuutes later .
June 15, 2016 · 3:00 AM · TRIANGLE
Faribault, MN
It was around 3:00 am at this week long figure skating camp in Faribault, Minnesota. I was in a room sleeping with 3 of my friends, ((deleted--"C") who was 10, ((deleted--"L") who was 9, and me when I was 11. I was in a bed right next to a window, "L" was in a bed on the other side of the room, and on the same wall as me was ((deleted--"C")) in a bunked bed with a very small window looking out at the same view I was. I was part way asleep when this fairly bright light came into my room and I heard this noise like a plane flying by. I looked out and saw a triangular shaped ufo facing me about 20 feet away. Also, our room was about 4 stories up, so it was floating pretty high. In each corner of the triangle was a circular light, one that was white, red, and green. Then I look away to ask my two other friends if they saw if and I look back and it’s gone. My friend "L" heard it, and my friend "C" was sleeping.
February 27, 2016 · 9:15 PM
Faribault, MN
9:15pm, on a clear Saturday night sky. Standing behind my garage near my neighbor's back yard facing northwest. Adjusting phone camera settings, when coincidently look up to a large figure moving less than 10mph above my neighbor's back yard moving in a straight path northwest. Looking up at the object, I estimate it to have been between 50 and 60 feet high as it was just above the trees in my neighbor's yard and took a sharp right turn over my yard, to where the garage I stood behind blocked my vision. I observed this object for only about 7 seconds. These were my observations: 1. Boomerang Structure with 50-60 foot wingspan, 2. Less than 10 feet tall, 4. Surface color(s): Deep Black Borders Surrounding The Various Components of its underside, 3. Small White Rectangles Aligned Closest to the Sharp, Anterior Edge of the craft (7 on each side), 4. "Components" or intricate plates comprising the underside, most of which had edges parralel to the adjac! ent edges of the craft itself, 5. Simpler Patterns alongside edges of the craft, and no middle, dividing borderline, 6. All observed edges but the anterior edge were curved/smooth, 7. Craft gets thicker getting nearer to the center. 5-10 minutes later: An object less less than 500 feet away and 100-150 feet high, moving in a straight path at around 70mph Southwest. A Yellow "Mist" forming an arrowhead with its anterior corners separated. Object was not thick and nearly flat, with a wingspan of around 80 feet. The separated corners merged into the middle part of the craft after about 4 seconds of observing it to then zoom into the distance and out of sight. During this observation I stood in the driveway of my backyard. 10-20 minutes later: Standing in front of my house on the sidewalk this time, moving lights catch my eye coming from the East and Moving West about 500 feet high descending to less than 100 feet in altitude after moving about 1000 feet in a perfectly straight path. These were my observations: Pure White Circles And Ovals Forming a capital letter T, 1. The front, horizontally aligned ovals, both at each end slightly larger than the ovals in the middle(4 total), 2. The "tail", perfect, pure white circles level with one another and most of which were aligned in the center but never symmetrically. The "tail" had a difference in elevation between the front part of about 30 feet, 3. The circles forming the "tail": Flat with a diameter of about 15 feet, 4. All " T-shaped" formations moved between 70-90 mph in a straight path East to West, 5. At least 4 were witnessed, 3 of which I can make accurate depictions of and all of which appeared betw! een intervals of 10-20 minutes. Another Yellow "Mist" but this time shaped almost as an equilateral triangle moved under the first "T-Shape" formation I witnessed as it passed just above me, with each side being 40-50 feet long. This object moved Southeast to Northwest at about 30mph in a straight path about 70 feet high. Again, this "Mist" was flat and seemed transparent because of that, making it somewhat faint, but nonetheless glowing. Observed for only about 5 seconds. Last hour or so of this 3 hour event: Large Boomerang Formations of Perfect, Pure White Circles began to appear moving East to West but taking very wide left turns Southwest and Moving at speeds of at least 100mph just above the houses North of my position. From all formations observed but one, the circles never formed symmetrical Shapes. Some were triangular and some were very wide-angled boomerang formations. All but one took the same path as the rest of these light formations. The one I am referring to is the only symmetrrical light formation I witnessed and the closest object I observed that night: I noticed a line of circular lights approaching me from down the street but moving above the houses, and as it approached I noticed it was rotating slowly counter-clockwise as a whole and as soon as it did this, 3 of these flat white circles aligned themselves individually into the right side of the formation but we're already near the rest when I observed this. As it passed o! ver me and my house, it was in an almost parralel to the street suggesting that this maneuver was only made to avoid the tree in my front yard which is 50-60 feet tall. This formation was level with the ground until it was completely aligned and symmetrical to then tilt leftward at 40°-60° and take a wide left turn Southwest and gain significant speed(100+mph). I chased after several of these formations. At least 5 witnessed and 4 of which I can accurately depict. Even from close proximity, no noise could be heard and no temperature changes felt nor structures Observed surrounding these lights. These circular light were about 10-15 feet in diameter and the formed formation of at least 100 feet wide. When in a triangular formation, the lights were farther from each other than when formed in a boomerang formation. These lights were visible on both sides, conforming that no visible structures surrounded them. I cannot say the same for the "letter T" formations as I w! as not able to observe them from close enough proximity to dis! tinguish this. Between these last sightings, a unique UFO in comparison to the rest: A blue light bordering the bottom of an invisible craft rotating counter -clockwise. From the center, 3 lines extending and protruding out each corner. This object was about 1000 feet away from my position and about 100 feet high moving East to West at speeds of at least 100 mph. Each side being 50-80 feet long.
August 15, 2015 · 11:30 PM
Faribault, MN
On the evening of August 15th, 2015, a partner and I were in my back yard stargazing using a 124x pair of astronomy binoculars and a a pair of 12x24 zoom binoculars. We both noticed a very bright white light to the ENE low to the horizon moving toward us. I was able to focus on the light/object with the 12x24 binoculars expecting to see an approaching aircraft. The light/object passed just north of us a mile or less away and at approximately 2,000 feet in altitude. These distances are estimates but I believe them to be reasonably accurate. I began relaying my observations, made while viewing through high quality binoculars, verbally to my partner. They were observing with out the aid of any optics and only with their naked eye. As the light/object approached I could see no strobes, red or green position lights, sound (the object/light made not a sound it was dead silent) and the light, assumed to be a landing light on an aircraft, never changed in brightness or appearance as one would expect an aircraft landing light to behave as it passed. No structure was visible just a very bright white light. I can safely say when the light/object was closest to us if it had been any more intense in brightness it would have been difficult to view through the optics I was using. Nothing all that unusual so far as any ac approaching at any altitu! de in this location would, as proper procedure, turned its landing lights on. The flight path took it over the local airport and well below the approach pattern to MSP International airport. This is when the light/objects behavior became perplexing. It passed in front of our location at about a 50 degree azimuth due North and continued to the East briefly passing through the branches of a nearby tree. As it got to the ENE it stopped, grew in intensity, turned into a rusty red dot, vertically descended, stopped, turned back to a white light, grew again in intensity, turned again into a small rusty red dot, repeated this pattern of behavior one more time and simply disappeared. This left both myself and my partner wondering what we had just witnessed. It is noteworthy that these events occurred in relatively close proximity to our location and not way off in the distance. As it turned out the events of the night were not quite over. We noticed another bright white light approaching from the same location and direction. It had a different appearance and when viewed with binoculars was clearly an twin turboprop aircraft with a distinctive landing light pattern of two bright double outboard lights and a single less bright center light. The sound of twin turbo props was clearly audible along with red/green position lights, white tail light and a strobe light. The aircraft structure was easily visible and as the ac passed it behaved as expected, sound, lights changing as it flew away from our position. It appeared to be at the same altitude as the light/object and passed through the tree branches extremely close to the same position. The aircraft flew to the location where the first object had stopped, made one and a quarter orbits and flew off to the north. The landing light pattern only fit one aircraft type and I can state with a high degree or certainty that it was a Dehaviland dash 8. A very distinctive and unique landing light pattern. These are operated near here by Air Canada, Porter Airlines and possibly the USAF and Department of Homeland Security. The latter two entities using them as a surveillance platform. Either by purpose or by coincidence this aircraft was in trail of the first object/light that had passed. Sent from my iPad
August 15, 2015 · 11:30 PM · SPHERE
Faribault, MN
While out in the backyard stargazing with a friend a very bright single light was seen approaching from the east at low altitude (approximately 2,000 feet ). At first was thought to be an aircraft with its landing lights on. This would be normal as it was passing over the local airport to the NE and operating under, well under, the flight path of air traffic departing or approaching MSP International Airport. Proper procedure would be to have the landing lights on in this scenario. We had a pair of 125x astronomy binoculars and a pair of 12x24 zoom binoculars with us at the time this event was unfolding. I trained the 12x24 power binoculars on the object and began to relay what I was observing to my partner. I was expecting to hear and see an aircraft come into view with a jet or prop sound, navigation lights and have the landing light dim as the object passed just a mile or less to the north of our location. None of this occurred. I must emphasize that this light was very bright, and I feel safe in saying if it were any brighter it could have been very difficult to look at through the optics I was using. As the bright light passed over us at about 60 degrees azimuth North it made not a sound. It never dimmed or changed in appearance. There were no strobing lights or red and green navigation lights. No structure was visible associated with the light but clearly and logically it must have been attached to something. It briefly passed through the branches of a tree and continued on a steady constant speed and course to the East. This is when things became even more baffling. As it reached a point a mile or so East of us it stopped, grew in intensity, changed to a small dim rusty red colored dot, lost altitude in a straight downward decent, stopped, turned white again grew again in intensity turned again to a small rusty red dot and simply disappeared. I was relaying all of this description to my partner as it was happening. It left us baffled looking for an explanation as to what we had seen. As it turned out the event was not over. We spotted another bright light coming from the same direction as the first light/object. This light appeared different from the first and as I focused my binoculars on it I could clearly see three sets of lights. Two bright outboard lights and one dimmer middle light. It was clearly an aircraft and the sound of twin turbo props were audible. This aircraft behaived exactly as expected: sound, strobes, red and green navigation lights. Even the structure of the aircraft was visible. The lights changed as expected when it passed. Its flight path was the direction and altitude of the previous object. It even passed through the tree branches very close to the same spot. As this aircraft reached the approximate location where the first object had disappeared it made one and a quarter tight orbits and took on a Northern heading. I checked the landing light pattern of the second aircraft and found only one possible match. A Canadian built Dehaviland Dash 8. These are operated in this area by Air Canada, the US Air Force and the Office of Homeland Security. The latter two using them as survalence aircraft. I can in no way confirm who was operating either craft but can state with a high degree of certainty the second aircraft type. Clearly the second craft was in trail of the first object either through purpose or as a coincidence. Witness indicates that the date of the sighting is approximate. PD
September 4, 2011 · 1:30 PM · EGG
Faribault, MN
craft, egg shaped, with U shape around half of it, slowly flying by at about 500 feet in the air, lasting about 5 minutes