SIGHTING: LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO (UNITED STATES)

Witness Testimony

"While taking a walk at sunset I noticed a very bright starlike object in the northern sky, far enough away that it was obscured by the few clouds that passed in front of it. I thought it might be a star but it was still too light out for any stars to appear. I returned home and got my binoculars and viewed the object which was clearly the shape of a hot air balloon (or triangle or heart). It appeared to be stationary and very far away. I then looked at it through a telescope and affirmed that it was reflecting the light of the sun. My husband joined me and as we looked at it through telescope and binoculars, it slowly changed color to reflect the setting sun - from bright silver to orange to deep red. It also appeared to move very slowly toward the west, as a star or planet would do. We both think it was some sort of weather balloon or other reflective device of terrestrial origin, but it was puzzling nevertheless, so I thought I would report it."