Does anyone have an idea about this?
Date: March 22, 2025, at 11:56 AM Pacific
Location: Mesa, AZ
Captured on: iPhone 16 Pro
At first, I thought it was an airplane, but upon closer inspection, it seemed to be moving too slowly. When I used high-powered binoculars, it resembled something reentering the atmosphere. I searched for any information on launches, returns, weather balloons, etc., but found nothing, so I’m reaching out here. The lower part of the object was very reflective and appeared dense (not floating), moving northeast at a leisurely pace and visible for about 10 minutes. There were no clear signs of propulsion or flames.
I have a few more videos and screenshots if that would help. Appreciate any insights!
It sounds like you had quite an intriguing sighting! Given the details you’ve provided, there are a few possibilities for what you may have observed. Here are a few suggestions:
Reentering Satellite or Space Debris: If what you saw was indeed moving slowly and had a reflective surface, it could potentially be a piece of space debris reentering the atmosphere. Sometimes, smaller satellites or parts of larger ones can reenter and be visible from the ground.
High-Altitude Balloon: While you mentioned it didn’t look like a balloon, sometimes high-altitude research balloons can appear reflective and move slowly at altitudes where they can be mistaken for something more unusual.
Weather or Research Aircraft: Certain types of aircraft used for scientific research or weather monitoring can look unusual, especially if they are operating at high altitudes. They may not have visible propulsion or flames and could appear reflective in the sunlight.
Optical Illusions or Atmospheric Effects: Sometimes atmospheric conditions can create visual effects that can make typical objects appear strange or unusual.
Since you mentioned having videos and screen grabs, those could definitely provide more context and help with identification. If you’re interested in sharing those, it might assist others in helping you figure out what you saw. You could also consider reporting the sighting to local astronomical societies or organizations that track such events, as they often have more resources to help investigate these kinds of phenomena.