Glowing orange sphere

I was driving home and noticed a round orange ball in the sky.  At first I thought it was a Shell gas station sign that was five miles away.  That particular sign was very tall and located next to an interstate hwy.  Then as I thought about it, I realized that it couldn't be that sign it was simply too far away and I had never noticed it before. This was a rural area with open fields and scattered houses.
 As I paid more attention, I could see this round orange ball, which must have been 75-100 ft. in diameter and maybe a mile away, was gradually descending to the ground.
I thought there should be a logical explanation even including a hallucination, but as it descended (very slowly)it started to change shape from round to elliptical.
 As it decended it's light filtered though distant trees as it apparently settled in a field. At this point I knew it was real but I was totally puzzled as to what I saw.
 The change in shape has fascinated me.  I ruled out a hot air baloon; I have see those at night and the entire baloon is illuminated.  I have thought that the orange color was produced by heat.
 Until now, I have only told a few people about this. In those days there was even more stigma and most people just laughed it off. I now know others have reported seeing something similar to this, and that is why I am offering my account - to support this mounting evidence.
 That early morning I simply went home to bed and never investgated it further.  I wish now that I had explored the area where it landed.
 Whether it was from this world or another, I can say it was not natural, it moved in a very slow and controlled fashion. The color was not glaring but more diffused almost like a harvest moon would be.
Witness elects to remain totally anonymous; provides no contact information.  PD