One clear summer evening atop Poor Mountain, my friends and I ventured off-road near Roanoke, Virginia, seeking a moment of escape surrounded by nature’s calm. The expansive view of Roanoke Valley stretched before us, punctuated by the bustle of planes landing and taking off from the nearby airport. As we settled into the peaceful overlook, an extraordinary sight seized our attention.
A brilliant orange orb appeared, hovering serenely above the valley. Unlike the steady, linear flights of commercial planes and even the emergency helicopter we observed, this orb seemed alive — dancing and darting with astonishing speed and precision across the sky. Its movements defied logic; it would shoot left, reverse right, climb slightly, then reverse again, all without losing its spherical shape or size.
The sharp contrast to the planes’ ordinary flight was undeniable. Its glowing orange light pulsated with an otherworldly intensity that instantly captivated four out of five of us. Even as it executed rapid maneuvers, it appeared to stop abruptly on command, zipping in directions no conventional aircraft could match. We speculated briefly: could this be a fighter jet? But no jet moves with the nimbleness or maintains a steady orb shape like what we witnessed.
As the orb played across the sky, our fifth friend, initially skeptical and unable to see clearly without his glasses, finally caught sight of the spectacle as it drifted slowly toward Roanoke Star Mountain. We held our breath, anticipating its emergence on the other side, but the glowing beacon vanished beyond the ridge, never to return that evening.
Despite the passing of years, the memory still resonates; chills run down my spine recalling that enchanted moment. We—none seasoned UFO observers—instinctively recognized an extraordinary presence, united in silent awe. This mysterious, fiery globe over Roanoke Valley was unlike anything we’ve seen before.
That summer night left me with more than just a breathtaking vista. It sparked a longing to return to Poor Mountain, gaze once again over the valley, and perhaps be fortunate enough to witness that mesmerizing orange orb dance across the sky another time. Until then, the secrets of Roanoke’s twilight skies remain both vivid and tantalizingly out of reach.