Las Vegas Long Radar Returns – 6/16/2012 – 8:38 to 8:40 PM PDT.
Note: The radar analysis showed an aircraft flying northwest that was viewed by the witnesses. However, the object that the witnesses saw (and photographed) to the right of the aircraft was not detected by radar. Four radar antenna were available in the analysis. The longer range radars at Las Vegas and Seligan, Arizona did not show many returns near the aircraft. The short range radars at McCarran Airport and Nellis AFB showed more returns, but these returns were likely ground targets, radar angels and possibly weather related.
Photo of Object & Enlarged Enhancement.
Description: The witness called and reported his sighting on the evening that it occurred. He was outside tending to his dogs and immediately noticed a very bright yellow-gold object of triangular shape. Part of the object was red in color. The object made a left hand turn and was moving northwest towards Nellis Air Force Base. The object was flying to the right of what the witness thought was a passenger jet. The object was much larger and brighter than the jet. The object was unlike any conventional aircraft because there were not “trailing lights.” The object was visible for about 2 minutes, then ascended and was gone. The witness’s wife came out and also saw the object. The witness’s wife snapped a photo towards the end of the sighting. (See enhanced photo above.) Skies were clear at the time of the sighting and the sun was in the process of setting.
Note: According to sunrise and sunset tables sunset was at 7:58 PM PDT on June 16. There would have been some daylight, but the glistening of the object would not have been due to reflection of light from the sun.
I wonder why the photo supplied is dark, as if it was night, when they said the sun was in the process of setting and you calculated it to be about 8 PM? I am just wondering.
In another conversation the witness said that it was getting dark. Also there are mountains around the Las Vegas area making sunset earlier than the official tables.
I think these people did see something unusual, but I can’t help but think that they have the time of the event wrong, because, like the other person who replyed to this, the photo is way too dark to have been taken around 7:50 p.m., even if there are mountains that block some of the setting sunlight. These people can’t be blamed as they aren’t ‘professional’ photographers, and I hope that they keep their eyes peeled as this area seems to have more than it’s fair share of unusual aerial phenomena, for whatever the reason!
Yes, the time of the photo and sighting may be wrong. However, the aircraft that they sighted does jive with the radar tapes. Unfortunately the meta data from cell phone camera didn’t have the date and time of the photo.