Light over Nipomo, CA

The report, as filed

It was traveling diagonally and seemed to be moving slowly. I started to record a video on my phone as it maintained its trajectory. I thought it must be a drone, so I stopped recording. As soon as I did, it then split into 3 lights that were lined up horizontally for a second. There was the original large orangish color light, a small blue light and a white blinking light. The blue light then disappeared and the blinking light followed further behind the larger light at the same trajectory. I started to record again after it split but not for too long. I got freaked out and ran home! I also noticed a noise that is hard to describe. It was almost like a low pitched hum. ((ADDENDUM FROM A VISITOR TO OUR WEBSITE)) Peter, What the witness observed in Nipomo, CA, was an unarmed Minuteman III missile launched from VAFB. It was launched at 11:01 pm. The flashing light seen following was the tumbling first stage. A friend took this picture which shows the main missile and the booster behind. This picture was taken from Shell Beach, CA, and would have been visible from San Luis Obispo, CA, as well. ((END ADDENDUM))

Held as-reported from National UFO Reporting Center (record NUFORC #144793). Witness text is preserved verbatim, including its spelling; nothing is edited beyond formatting.