A Former air traffic controller wants to know what the strange object is he has been seeing flying over Terrigal.

Lindsay Carter, of Terrigal, said he was reluctant to speak out but had become so frustrated at not being able to identify it he has called on the public to provide an answer.

''If someone can tell me it's the 2.30pm (passenger flight) from Brisbane then I would be happy,'' he said.

But after three years with the British Air Force as an air traffic controller and a lifetime interest in planes, Mr Carter, 63, said he was confident at being able to identify almost every kind military or commercial aircraft.

''This is different-looking enough for anyone to find it strange,'' he said.

''A UFO is just that, an unidentified flying object. I'm not talking about little green men. I'd be happy with an earthbound explanation.'' But so far no explanations have been forthcoming.

Others have seen the strange comet-like object during daylight hours, including assistants of a nearby takeaway shop.

Mr Carter said it had a contrail, the line of condensation in the sky caused by planes at high altitude, but it was shorter.

The contrail was also pointed slightly up compared to conventional planes.

''I have seen things in the sky in England and Australia but nothing compares to this,'' he said.

He first noticed the object about two years ago and said he had seen it about 50 times.