ALERT! ALERT! ALERT!

A very strange steep funnel shaped high altitude cloud is moving from WSW to ENE over Greenville SC 7pm. There is a long cycle intermittent flashing light associated with this cloud.

When spotted, the "cloud" was about 10 degrees west of vertical and very bright, as if Venus were shining through a cloud making a foggy mask. At that time it had a comet-like appearance with a funnel shape with an angle of about 20 degrees. Intermittently a white light was seen "strobing" to the side of the cloud. As the cloud drifted to the WNW it gradually became dimmer. When it reached Cassiopeia (aboug 7:20) it was barely naked eye. there appeared to be a lateral thin cloud preceeding it that was perpendicular to the funnel's wide end.

My suspicion is that it was an incident associated with a high altitude baloon. But, who knows. Perhaps someone has some more definite information.

Alerted Joplin who clarified the situation. Thanks Joplin!

Just hope that others got to witness the spectacle.

Nabbed a few images of it and put together a quick and dirty composite. Ten second exposures w/ Canon 20D w/ 200mm lens. Times (upper left to lower right) are 00:16:19, 00:17:10, 00:17:57, 00:18:41 (UT).
The bright star nearby is Caph in Cassiopeia.

Joplin

Attached Image:

From Space.com:

December 10: A United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 to orbit the classified NROL-24 payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

I'm guessing what we saw was a fuel dump from this rocket.

Joplin

Hi Jud, check out SpaceWeather.com they're on top of this one, they even have an incredible movie taken by Canadian, Kevin Fetter. cheers, Dan