UFO Sightings Reported Near Pittsburgh
MAY 17, 1998 >> BELLE VERNON, PENNSYLVANIA

Two UFO sightings were reported in western Pennsylvania the evening of Sunday, May 17, 1998.

At 8:15 p.m., four people in Belle Vernon, Pa. (population 1,213) observed a UFO for 40 minutes. "They were looking in a north-northwest direction," reported Pennsylvania ufologist Stan Gordon. "The object was about 60 to 70 degrees elevation. (The UFO) First appeared as a brilliant star that appeared nearly stationary. Through binoculars and spotting scopes it looked like an 'illuminated donut.' There was something that appeared to be hanging down from the object. While they watched, it seemed to suddenly 'explode' into many small fragments and particles. And then a red sphere was observed which minutes later reportedly split into two smaller objects."

Belle Vernon is on Interstate Highway 70 about 31 miles (48 kilometers) south of Pittsburgh.

Also on May 17, at 11:50 p.m., an observer in Penn Hills, Pa. (population 51,430) spotted "two luminous objects" in the clear night sky. "One was moving and after a few minutes was gone from sight. The remaining object appeared to move in a swirl formation, emitting bright flashes of blue and red... It seemed as though it was rotating, giving off various light patterns" described as "bright colors of red, blue, green and white."

"During the observation, the object appeared as a seeming oval shape with a light effect that separated the top and bottom halves...The object's light pulsated on and off, appearing to search. Then the object returned to its luminescent state. Almost ten minutes later, the object gradually moved in a direction to the north of the observer."

Penn Hills is a suburb of Pittsburgh, located 13 miles (21 kilometers) northeast of the city.