NUFORC UFO Sighting 184236
Occurred: 2024-11-16 19:51 Local
Reported: 2024-11-16 20:56 Pacific
Duration: 4mins or so
No of observers: 1 - Military - Aviation Expert

Location: Cotati, CA, USA

Shape: Circle
Color: Orange
Viewed From: Land
Direction from Viewer: SE
Angle of Elevation: 45
Closest Distance: 2-10 Miles not sure
Estimated Speed: Slow and steady. Much slower than helicopter
Explanation: Chinese Lantern - Probable
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aura or haze around object, Aircraft nearby

Sphere shaped object emitting bright orange glow, hovered up above houses and flew at a slow speed SE direction, no sound was heard

Circular flying object with emitting bright orange/fire like color that was constant, not blinking or intermittent. It hovered up at a controlled, what seemed to be constant speed, then went towards the moon (to reference direction) where I lost it behind the clouds. I was still able to see the orange emitting through the clouds too. It was large and made no noise. Did not fly like an airplane.




Posted 2024-11-17

NUFORC UFO Sighting 178065
Occurred: 2023-09-04 21:10 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2023-09-05 09:18 Pacific
Duration: 1 minute
No of observers: 0

Location: Cotat, CA, USA

Shape: Unknown
Explanation: Starlink - Probable
Characteristics: Lights on object

It was a string of lights, not as long as the Starlink photos I saw. It wasn't moving, no noise.

I was walking from my car to my house. It was a clear night and the stars could be seen clearly. I suddenly saw a string of lights that I've never seen before. I thought to myself, "what constellation is that??". I stared at it trying to figure out what it could be, but didn't think it was a plane, drones, or anything similar. The string of lights weren't moving and there wasn't any noise of an aircraft nearby. I was walking while looking at them, but looked away for maybe 3 seconds to see where I was going (almost walked into a car). When I looked back up, the string of lights was gone. I looked around to see if they'd moved, but did not see them. I'd say there were about 10 lights in the formation.

I realize that perhaps what I saw was a Starlink satellite after reviewing the pictures/videos on your website. However, the lights I saw weren't blurry, they weren't moving, they weren't spaced out that wide, and the string of lights wasn't that long. In one of the videos of the Starlink, I saw that they just move across the sky, but the ones I saw did not. They just vanished when I looked back up. None of the lights I saw were blinking, there wasn't any haze around them, and they didn't change color. They were white, but noticed that one did have a little red, which made me think it was an aircraft at first. What caught me off guard was how quick they disappeared. I was so caught up on trying to figure out what the object(s) were, that I didn't even think of taking a picture or video.

This morning as I was leaving for work, I looked at the direction of where I saw the lights just to make sure there weren't any power lines that I might have forgotten were there, but there weren't. I apologize in advance if you believe I saw a satellite, but I honestly don't think it was.


Posted 2023-09-10

NUFORC UFO Sighting 163658
Occurred: 2021-06-11 16:00 Local
Reported: 2021-06-12 11:47 Pacific
Duration: About 1 hour
No of observers: 0

Location: Cotati, CA, USA

Shape: Unknown


White stationary dot in the sky

On Friday June 11, 2021 around 16:00 my wife brought to my attention an object in the North Eastern sky over Sonoma County, California. It was white. It was very tiny. It was way to small to describe any details. It did not appear to be moving. The sky was very clear and there were no clouds, at least in the direction we were looking. By around 16:45 the sky slowly began to cloud up and we could no longer see the object. There is not a lot to tell except it was very small, white in color, appeared stationary, appeared approximately 45 degrees relative to North.

Trying to report this object was extremely difficult as the UFO center is the only place that responded and that was 3 to 4 hours after we called them.



Posted 2021-07-31

NUFORC UFO Sighting 144124
Occurred: 2018-12-19 17:41 Local
Reported: 2018-12-19 22:54 Pacific
Duration: 10 minutes
No of observers: 0

Location: Cotati, CA, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Aura or haze around object, Left a trail

Strange light streak over Cotati, CA

At 5:41pm my mom called me and told me to look out my back window, which faces West. She was at the Costco in Rohnert Park and said there was a strange jet-stream in the sky that was glowing brightly. The sun had already set and when I looked out the window, I was shocked by how bright this was. It looked like a lasso in the sky. The oval was on the top right and it trailed down to the left.

It slowly faded over 5-10 minutes.

After looking online I found this was identical to the lights seen over Reno, NV, at the same time. However, I am in Cotati (very close to the coast - maybe 30 minutes) and I was also looking West towards the coastline.




NUFORC Note:

Source of report indicates that the date of the sighting is approximate. PD


Posted 2019-01-04

NUFORC UFO Sighting 123686
Occurred: 2015-11-07 18:55 Local
Reported: 2015-11-07 18:42 Pacific
Duration: 8 minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Cotati, CA, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aura or haze around object, Left a trail, Emitted beams

strange light with green sreak





A very bright light in the sky shining down like a spotlight. A green trail ( smokelike or like a jet stream) was attached to the light and not the object... The light was shining for about 3 minutes. It was so bright that I felt that if it shined on me, it would be too bright to handle. It never shined down on me. I saw that the light was moving in my direction and this black blanket covered it completely. The green streak stayed there as this ufo floated slowly way up and out in the distance. After it was no longer visible there was white smoke in its place where the "black blanket" had covered the ufo and light completely.

NUFORC Note:

U. S. Navy missile launch. PD


Posted 2015-11-19

NUFORC UFO Sighting 123710
Occurred: 2015-11-07 18:00 Local
Reported: 2015-11-07 18:33 Pacific
Duration: 10 minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Cotati, CA, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aura or haze around object, Left a trail, Emitted beams, Aircraft nearby

Green ball of light sending down green light to the ground.





Was outside feeding my horses at dusk when i saw this green ball of light sending down this green light to the ground, which i thought at first was a helicopter with a search light. The ball of light went higher and higher into the sky until it disappeared, and no helicopter noises either. The green light stayed even though the ball of light disappeared and it turned into what looked like a neon green smoke or mist, it expanded like one of those into the sky and i sat and watched it for about 10 minutes with confusion. It then got dark so i couldn't see it anymore




NUFORC Note:

US Navy missile launch. PD


Posted 2015-11-12

NUFORC UFO Sighting 37466
Occurred: 2004-06-07 22:39 Local
Reported: 2004-06-07 23:21 Pacific
Duration: 2 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Cotati, CA, USA

Shape: Formation


satalite due-3 viewed

While watching for Cosmos rocket 2106 to go overhead we observed 3 lights in lew of the one expected. They formed a distinctly seperated "by about 3-5 degrees of sky" triangle.

This could likely be the rocket breaking up or something completely unexplained.



NUFORC Note:

Possible sighting of NOSS satellite triplet. PD


Posted 2004-06-18

NUFORC UFO Sighting 36680
Occurred: 2004-05-01 22:45 Local
Reported: 2004-05-02 17:33 Pacific
Duration: 30 sec
No of observers: 2

Location: Cotati, CA, USA

Shape: Light


climbing light observed

For cross data verification.

Observed a light climbing at a steep angle until it faded "probably due to height" in the vicinity of 80 degrees high south aspect.

We regularly watch from hot tub and are quite familiar with airliners, satellites, iridium flashes, rockets and unknowns. We first thought this was a Vandenburg rocket but none appear to have been launched that night per web search.



Posted 2004-05-04

NUFORC UFO Sighting 30458
Occurred: 2003-07-20 02:00 Local
Reported: 2003-07-31 16:26 Pacific
Duration: 2 min.
No of observers: 1

Location: Cotate, CA, USA

Shape: Flash
Characteristics: Lights on object

Written report submitted via USPS, and copied here:

"Dear Peter, I want to report to you what has to be a UFO sighting (or gov.?) on Sunday night, July 20, '03 at about 02:00 a.m.. I guess that makes it Monday morning.

I live in California due east of the small town of Cotate in Sonoma county. It is betewwn Santa Rosa on the north & Petaluma on the south, off Highway 101. We live up on the side of Sonoma Mt. at 1,700 ft., 3 miles NNW of the mt. top. It's about 23 mi. from the ocean.

I stepped out on the deck at 01:45 and was looking at the sky--some clouds & having had about 200 drops of rain!! I could see stars between the clouds. Looking west at (on clear days we can see the ocean--not lately tho') I saw a flashing light & watched it to see if it was an approaching airplane. It seemed to not move, then seemed to come closer & too bright & big for even a large plane. I am 5' 2" tall & holding my fist at arms length it was about 20 deg. above my level, and about 30 deg. south of west. At its closest at arm's length it was about 3/16" diam. (at least). I could see no form except the horizontal flashing including a green on the south side. It flashed about every second then in an instant (less of course) it moved right a fist (extended) length & then appeared below about 1/2 a fist. Then back to the original position. It did this a few times with out my seeing it move. Just appeared. Then another appeared, maybe a fist to the left.

They alternated rapid flashing, then synchronized maybe 3 x's, then alternated again & the 2nd one was gone without visible movement. (Both look alike.) The first began to move north slowly with a few more erratic appearances & then went slowly, flashing, to the north & west getting smaller until I couldn't see it for the trees? Time of viewing...?? That's a hard on...a guess is a few minutes.

I have seen other flashing lights farther away & a bit brighter than stars that were probably UFO's...not a plane One was erratic in movement but I sort of doubted my eyes afterwards. This time I had the edge of the umbrella as a steady point. Great stuff! Thanks for all your good work.

((name and contact data deleted))

P. S. I am 77 years old & of sound mind. And hope to continue to be! Which you may now doubt since I put the stamp on the envelope to open it upside down."

NUFORC Note:

Witness illustrates how the thin, disc-shaped object appeared to "jump" in a triangular, clockwise pattern. PD


Posted 2003-08-01

NUFORC UFO Sighting 5576
Occurred: 1999-02-11 19:30 Local
Reported: 1999-02-12 00:00 Pacific
Duration: 10 sec
No of observers: 1

Location: Cotati, CA, USA

Shape: Fireball
Characteristics: Aura or haze around object, Aircraft nearby

I was driving north on HWY 101 over the hill from Peteluma to Cotati when I saw a green/blue orb pass in front of my car in the upper part of my windshield. It traveled west to east and disapeared out of my view over the town of Cotati.

This object first appeared to be a shooting star but normally when I those they appear high in the sky. This object appeared to be much closer to the surface of the earth. By this I mean possibly at the same height of a low flying plane. I did not at first think to do or say anything about it until I saw a news blurb on NBC for a later broadcast that people in the north bay had seen a green "comet like" object in the sky. This was at 8:00 PM only 30 minutes from the time of the sighting. I was eextremely tired from my day and missed the late night news. No reports in the paper this morning.

Posted 1999-04-02

NUFORC UFO Sighting 79651
Occurred: 1996-03-15 01:30 Local - Approximate
Reported: 2011-01-12 12:29 Pacific
Duration: approx. 2 minutes
No of observers: 2

Location: Cotati, CA, USA

Shape: Orb
Characteristics: Changed Color, Electrical or magnetic effects

Small, clear orb that floated up the hood of our car and up the window without changing shape or being affected by engine heat.

This happening took place in 1996, in a small town called Cotati, which is located in Sonoma County, California. It is a small, very liberal and Utopian township that is very close to Sonoma State University, the university I graduated from.

I had just finished playing a gig what was then called the Inn of the Beginning, and my friend Mark was giving me a ride home. It was pretty late, at least 1am I'd say; very few cars on the road, no businesses open except a few bars beginning to close down. We got into Mark's Honda Civic and began to head down Main Street, toward the Highway 101 on ramp toward Santa Rosa. I specifically remember that we were right by the gas station that is across the street from Backdoor Records (for those of you who might be familiar with Cotati). I remember seeing just one car on the road, and it was pulling out from the gas station and onto the road, about 200 feet in front of us. It was a big, old American car, something like a Chevy Nova, early 1970s model. In other words, nothing special about the car, and I did happen to get a very good look at it. I have a fairly visual memory and can usually remember physical details of images I see very well. Anyway, the relevance of the car is ju! st to show that it was the only car on the road and it didn't look like any kind of government vehicle. Of course, that means nothing right? hahaha Onward with the story. Not more than a few seconds later at best guess, everything seemed to just stop. I saw an orb, perfectly circular in shape. I will now separate each of the details of what I saw, so that nothing gets lost: - It appeared to be about 12-14 inches wide, or I guess had a circumference of about 20-30 inches or so.

It was very similar in color and design to that of a giant soap bubble. If you have ever messed around with one of those big giant soap bubble toys, you know what I mean. It even had what looked like the oily pinkish color displays that a soap bubble typically has. [see the top for a picture of what I am thinking] - Unlike a soap bubble though, this thing did not move in the air like blob, slowly morphing its shape as a result of the shifting wind and heat. This thing was absolutely solidly round, perfectly round. It did not change shape at all.

There did not appear to be anything inside of it, like some kind of motor, or anything else you can imagine. It was basically see through I think, but yet we were not looking through it. I'll explain that in a minute.

Here is what actually took place, once Mark and I saw the bubble. To lay out the basics of the event, it is important to say that Mark and I did not compare notes on what we saw until after we saw it. In other words, we did not say to one another "are you seeing what I'm seeing?" We didn't talk to each other until after the entire event was over. And here's how the event took place from my personal perspective, and what I later found out to be essentially the same experience had by Mark: Just when I started to look at the bubble - or whatever the hell is was - and actually take notice of its characteristics on a more precise level, time seemed to stop.

I know it sounds weird, but it was like I lost all sense of time, motion, location, etc. ALL I COULD DO WAS STARE AT THE IMAGE. That said, it was not like I felt as though I was being forced to stare at the image. Instead, it was like I had no desire to do anything but stare at the image, making no judgments or even taking the initiative to think to myself what it might be.

As I stared intently at the image, it very slowly and what seemed to be deliberately, began to move up the hood of the car. It moved as straight as an arrow and even kept what appeared to be an exact distance away from the metal of the hood, hovering no more than 2 inches off the metal! At this point, I was still not making any judgments about the object, nor wondering about it or anything. All I did was watch it, very calmly, following its slow movement with my eyes more intently than I remember ever watching anything else in my life.

The orb continued to move up the hood of the car, coming closer to the windshield. When it reached the top of the hood, where the windshield meets the metal, it simply changed course and moved up the windshield in exactly the same manner it moved up the hood. That is, it moved right up the middle of the windshield, literally bisecting its width, and still at about 1-2 inches above the glass. It moved at the same speed and trajectory over the glass as it did over the metal.

Just as with the rest of the time the orb was in site, I simply watched intently with my eyes. Suddenly, the orb was gone, or at least it had gone up the window, past the view of our eyes. I remember looking out the back window to see if it was going to come down the window in the same way it came up the front window, but it was nowhere in site.

Now, here's where it all gets a little freaky. When I realized that the orb was no longer in site, I looked over at Mark and then to the road. The car was simply cruising at the minimum speed, at whatever speed it moves when you put it in DRIVE and don't press the accelerator. Mark's foot was off the pedal even. There were still no cars on the road, and nothing around us had seemed to change. The car in front of us, the Nova or whatever it was, had gone. So obviously we were cruising long enough for that car to get on the freeway via the ramp that was now about 100 feet in front of us.

I looked over at Mark and said something to the effect of, "Did you see that thing?" We began to compare notes. Both of us saw exactly the same thing, moving in exactly the same way. Here's the crazy part: BOTH OF US LOST TOTAL SENSE OF TIME. NEITHER OF US HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MANY MINUTES HAD GONE BY WHILE WE WATCHED THIS THING MOVE ALONG THE CAR. We looked at the clock, and we both estimated that at least four or five minutes, maybe as many as 9 minutes had passed. Point is, we were totally unaware of time, place and movement while that thing was in our sights.




NUFORC Note:

Witness indicates that the date of the sighting is approximate. PD


Posted 2011-01-31