What was that shining light?

[erugs]

We were on Pierce on Saturday and heading down to the hut. We stopped at an open ledge area to regroup from swallowing some of the swarm of tiny flying bugs we had to hike through and looked to the north. There was something shining on a far peak. Upon glassing it (to the right of Cherry Mountain), it looked like a silver orb on a distant summit. Any ideas?

 

[Little Rickie]

Skylab? or was it right on the peak and not above it?

 

[nartreb]

What time was it? (skylab wouldn't be visible before sunset...)

Sky conditions: Cloudy or clear? What were the positions of sun and moon at that time? (Were you seeing a reflection?)

Did the bright spot move? How long was it visible?

If you could see Cherry mountain and guess at some more distant peaks, there must have been a fair amount of ambient light. The first thing to come to mind that's bright enough to be visible before nightfall is Venus. Jupiter and Saturn are possibilities too. A manmade airborne light source (airplane most likely) would certainly be bright enough, but would eventually appear to move (could take a while if it was headed straight towards you). A very reflective balloon is also possible. Can't rule out a ground-based light, but it seems a little unlikely - it would have to be very big and bright (probably very far) and somebody would have to have a good reason to haul it up a mountain.

 

[marty]

That might have been the sun reflecting off my bald head from Boott Spur and casting a reflection around Cherry Mountain.

 

[erugs]

Good ideas, folks.

The day was clear with blue sky and puffy white clouds much higher than the peaks. The light was not moving. We watched it for about five minutes. It was sitting right on top of the mountain. Time - around early afternoon.

I wondered if it was from the windows of the fire tower on Weeks. The direction was about right for that, but it looked like it was larger than a fire tower would be and the shape seemed round. It reminded one of us of the geodesic dome buildings, such as the ones at the New Boston satellite tracking station.

 

[Lefty E]

It could have been the fire tower on Prospect Mt. in Weeks State Park or the abandoned radar station on East Peak in Vt...depending how far north or east, the airport beacon for Berlin Airport on a hill in Dummer NH..all other postings would have been in different directions including the Apollo/Soyez docking in the mid 70's!!! Is Skylab still up there?? Far as I know, one heck of a light show over Austrailia years ago....

 

[IndianChris]

What time was it? (skylab wouldn't be visible before sunset...)

...Or after. Skylab was destroyed via re-entry in 1979.
Maybe you mean the I.S.S.?

 

[Tom Rankin]

Maybe you saw The Great Carbuncle?

 

[erugs]

Maybe you saw The Great Carbuncle?

Glad we didn't try to find it. I'm pretty sure it was Prospect's fire tower. Appreciate all the suggestions and fun answers...

 

[NewHampshire]

Maybe it was the GHOST of skylab.

Brian

 

[Lefty E]

Marty: very similar to Rod and I on Doublehead in Jackson (it was sunny and shiny that day!!) Lefty E..

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Airport?

The Whitefield Regional Airport would be in a line similar to what you describe as well, roughly to the right of Cherry Mountain. Very obvious from the summit of Washington as you can see the runway lights. Possibly a helicopter or hot air balloon, or simply a light for navigation. Just another possibility.

KDT

 

[rup]

UFO. Barney and Betty are back.

 

[strider]

UFO. Barney and Betty are back.

Excellent reference.