Unidentified Flying Planet?

Cadillac News - Cadillac, Michigan, USA - 5/7/2004

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Donna Billett of Harrietta saw the backyard and field behind her house light up like she had never before - considering it was nearly midnight and it was pitch black outside.

By Matt Whetstone, Staff Writer

CADILLAC - Donna Billett of Harrietta saw the backyard and field
behind her house light up like she had never before -
considering it was nearly midnight and it was pitch black
outside.

"I was so shocked when I saw it out the bathroom window I just
stood there in awe for five minutes" Billett said when the
object appeared Sunday.

The moon was not responsible for the unexplained light, even
though it shone brightly in the clear sky. Instead, Billett saw
another bright object in the northwest sky.

Billett's son Allan McIlvain quickly came out of the house and
recorded the object for about 30 minutes before it finally left
their sight. He said it moved at a very fast pace.

The object bounced and weaved as McIlvain attempted to film it,
zooming in and out. Neither had an explanation at the time.

"I thought it was lightning at first" Billett said. "It was
like flipping on a light switch - the whole sky was bright"

McIlvain said he has a different explanation.

"I think it was a spaceship" he said.

Both believed the object to be pulsing, reflecting light toward
the ground.

David Batch, professor at the Abrams Planetarium at Michigan
State University, said the object may have been the planet
Venus.

"Venus is probably the most mistaken object for a UFO" Batch
said. "It really attracts people's attention right now because
it is so bright"

Batch said there is an old story that former president Jimmy
Carter once reported Venus as a UFO in his younger days.

Like the object seen in Harrietta, Batch said Venus is capable
of changing shapes and colors during the night and is capable of
leaving the sight of viewers depending on weather conditions.

In a camera, Batch said it would tend to be overexposed making
it appear to look different.

Batch did rule out the possibility of a comet sightings because
it would be nearly impossible to get video footage as it would
be too faint.