Strange 'cloud' in the Night Sky

Hello, I'm a newcomer and I'm here because of something I saw this evening. I just sent an email about it to some friends, so I'll copy and paste that below... If anyone has any thoughts or has had a similar experience, I'd love to know about it. Thanks, Rollash

I live in Lincoln, NE. This sighting was at about 6:45PM this evening. (11/26/08)

I enjoy looking at the night sky. Tonite when I got home (6:45PM) it was full dark with no light at all on the western horizon and I looked up. But there's a street light in the alley a couple of houses west, so I raised my hand to block it and when I looked straight up again I saw a very strange 'cloud'(?)

It appeared, at first glance to be a cirrus cloud, yet shaped a bit odd. If it was a cirrus cloud it was probably at 20,000 feet which is generally where they form. This one was very long and from my vantage point, appeared as thick as a magic marker - a half inch or so. Length was long enough that it took both hands to cover it end to end... It was bent into an almost perfect, shallow arc and was moving briskly to the southeast with the ends trailing.

I'd watched it for a few seconds before it occurred to me that it was completely dark out and yet the cloud appeared nearly as bright as it would be in full sunshine. It had been dark for over an hour so I don't think any light from the sun could have been on it. A passenger jet was straight north of it heading east and I saw no indications of sunlight on it. Only it's lights were visible.

From the time I first saw it until it disappeared behind tree tops, it didn't appear to change shape or size at all as would be expected even in a brief time with a wind-blown cloud.

Questions I'm asking myself: (though, please answer if you have any thoughts.)

If it WAS a cloud, why was it so bright in nighttime darkness? I don't think, even at 20,000 feet there was any sunlight. There was certainly no light showing on the jet which 'at altitude' would likely be higher by half again than 20,000 feet.

If it was being blown to the southeast at such a rate, why wasn't it blown to pieces or at least distorted by a wind that was strong enough to move it at a serious speed? From straight up to the tree tops - Probably a bit less than a quarter of the sky - in no more than 45 seconds.

If it was at 20,000 feet, I suspect that would translate to at least 3 or more miles - in 30 to 45 seconds? That's one extreemely strong wind. But would a wind that strong not distort a cloud?

I keep telling myself it was a cloud, but there are too may tings that seem to contradict that conclusion.

By the way, I am 'on and off' regarding my feelings about aliens and UFOs.....

Thanks for reading my posting. Rollash