One clear, dark evening shortly after the rain had ceased, I was driving north on Route 17 in Monroe, NY. It was around 11:40 PM, and the sky was a deep velvet canvas, perfect for spotting anything unusual. Suddenly, on the shoulder of the highway, I noticed a giant orb. At first, I thought it was some sort of streetlight, but Route 17 is notoriously devoid of streetlights.
This orb was unlike any light I’d ever seen — a brilliant, pure white that shimmered without blinding intensity. What struck me most was the eerie perfection of its light: no heat haze, no distortion waves, just a flawless glow like something out of a ghostly tale.
I was driving 65 miles per hour in the fast lane, and there was a car about ten feet ahead of me in the slow lane, moving at the same speed. Suddenly, the orb shot ahead and above us, crossing the two lanes towards the median. Both drivers slammed on their brakes in astonishment.
As it crossed, the orb displayed an unsettling, puddle-like effect on its surface — waves undulated gently, reminiscent of something ethereal, akin to a ghost shimmering in moonlight. Driver and I exchanged stunned looks as the orb then shot straight up into the night sky, disappearing so quickly it blinked out.
In that moment, adrenaline surged; we both accelerated away, minds racing to comprehend the extraordinary, luminous visitor that had briefly graced the darkness on Route 17. This encounter left me questioning the limits of what we can see, and what might be silently watching us from the shadows above.