Oval over Dublin, OH

The report, as filed

I was with a group of family friends attending the Dublin, Ohio July 4th fireworks display. We were seated on the grassy area outside Dublin Coffman High School stadium. The fireworks began about 10PM. I was in a lawn chair beside a mother and her adult daughter who was sitting on a blanket in front of us. The night was cool, clear, with just enough breeze to move the smoke from the fireworks away. The moon was out and between 1/4 to 1/2 full. Midway through the fireworks, I heard the mother beside me saying "What IS that?" She directed my attention behind me. I had to turn around in my seat, so the object was almost due West, beneath the moon but well above roof and treetop level. The dimension from our vantage point would be roughly in the aspirin-size range, maybe a little larger. It was a length-wise oval (wider than it was high), apparently solid object. It was absolutely stationary--no perceptible movement at all. There were no blinking lights or color changing occurring. The entire object was glowing an orange shade that to me, was pumpkin-colored. There was, however, smoke residue of the fireworks in the air, so that may have affected correct perception of the exact shade. There may have been a slight haze around the object, but again that is questionable because it could have been smoke. The level of the object, however, was high enough above most smoke that it was not substantially ob! scured--we could see it distinctly. It was not a fireball, as there were solid edges to it. Also, I have seen one fireball--they move. Fast. Of the group there, I only definitely know the mother and her daughter and myself saw the object. Others were preoccupied with the fireworks. And somehow, I was remarkably nonchalant about seeing it, and did not process it as a big event. The object remained there over a period of a couple minutes, at least, while we calmly dissected what it could and could not be, and how it had no characteristics in common with planes or helicopters in flight, etc. We were alternately looking at it and turning away to speak to each other (and, on my part, to even glance at the fireworks I was "missing"). During one of these times when we were turned away, it vanished. We looked back and there was no sign of it. Of the possible explanations, it was absolutely not a plane or helicopter. I KNOW what they look like in various orientations and stages of flight (have lived near airports and heliports and seen countless numbers). We occasionally have blimps (Goodyear, whoever) and hot air balloons in town. This did not look like any I've seen. Further, if one has ever watched a blimp or hot air balloon fly away: paint dries faster. They do not disappear in a matter of moments. Mylar balloons are metallic-looking and reflective--this object glowed, seemingly from within, more like a light bulb. Also, any balloon or Chinese lantern--which I've seen suggested on someone's video of a similar object--would surely have been buffeted about by the breeze and unable to remain absolutely motionless for minutes. The observers were a 31-year-old mother who works in child care, her mother who works with children and adults in performance arts, and myself, 68, retired with background as a medical and legal secretary, and work in graphic design. I will add that I have also had a lifelong passion for photography, had my camera in a tote at my feet, and am dumbfounded in seeking to explain why it never entered my mind to take a picture or video. I didn't even process the object as what it was, until it was gone and the mother said "We've seen a UFO!" I think it was just a little too real, and too curiously out-of-place in such a mundane setting, for me to process its significance.

Held as-reported from National UFO Reporting Center (record NUFORC #111203). Witness text is preserved verbatim, including its spelling; nothing is edited beyond formatting.