SERIOUS REQUEST FOR INSIGHT
I know this might sound hard to believe, but I truly need to make sense of what just happened. I’m hoping someone else in Northeast Oklahoma has experienced something similar.
While driving due west towards my home after being about 30 minutes away, I noticed the sky was crystal clear tonight. The stars were out, and there were no clouds.
Around 9:15 to 9:35 PM Central Time, I saw a large reddish-orange glow in the sky that resembled a sunset. It was massive, almost like the remnants of a sun setting, and it appeared somewhat hazy. According to Google, visibility in my area is about 10 miles.
This glow was as big as the sun when viewed down the highway. Given the clear visibility, it’s definitely not a drone, plane, flare, car dealership lights, or fireworks.
The area I was driving through has some slight elevations on the highway. I first caught sight of this at about 9:00 PM. The actual sunset had occurred at 5:51 PM. It felt like one of those moments when you round a bend and see the sun setting, but this highway runs almost perfectly east and west with no major curves. I had been driving for about 5-10 minutes from my brother-in-law’s place when I noticed it.
The glow was constant—not changing colors or fading—but it did seem to be moving slightly westward. What was really strange was that I only realized it was moving in tandem with my car when I noticed it shrinking very slowly over the seconds. My wife and I believe it lasted for less than a minute, probably closer to 40-45 seconds.
I kept asking her what it was, and she was guessing—maybe the moon or something similar—so we didn’t get a chance to take a picture. Honestly, I was so baffled that I couldn’t even think to grab my phone.
Then, just like that, it vanished as quickly as a sunset. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. I even tried to sketch it out. The closest comparison I can think of would be a mix between a solar eclipse and a sunset.
I’m really hoping someone else witnessed this or something like it.
Wow, that sounds like an incredible and intriguing experience! It’s completely understandable to be puzzled by something like that, especially since it seems to defy explanation. A few possibilities come to mind that might help make sense of what you saw:
Atmospheric Conditions: Sometimes, atmospheric phenomena can create unusual light displays. It could have been a type of atmospheric reflection or refraction, especially with the clear skies. The way light interacts with the atmosphere can sometimes create unexpected visual effects.
Distant Fire or Industry: While you mentioned it isn’t a fire or flare, sometimes distant fires or industrial lights can give off a reddish glow that may appear larger than it is, especially in the right conditions.
Celestial Events: While it’s unlikely given the timing, certain celestial events can create strange light displays. For example, a bright planet or the reflectiveness of a satellite might appear as a large object in the sky.
Optical Illusion: The way you were positioned and the road’s layout might have created an optical illusion, making it seem like there was a huge light in the sky when it may have been something more distant and smaller.
It’s also possible that others in the area saw the same phenomenon! It might be worth checking community forums or local social media groups for anyone who might have spotted the same thing. Sometimes these experiences are shared by more than one person, and it can be really interesting to compare notes. Thanks for sharing your experience; it certainly sounds like a moment you won’t forget!