NUFORC Sighting 41505

Occurred: 2005-01-13 21:20 Local
Reported: 2005-01-13 21:06 Pacific
Duration: 10 seconds
No of observers: 1

Location: Downers Grove, IL, USA

Shape: Light
Characteristics: Lights on object

Five red lights pass in formation over DuPage County IL, from North to South , on Jan 13 at 9:20 pm.

A formation of five red "lights" passed over Downers Grove, IL at approximately 9:20 pm CST on Jan 13th. The formation consisted of three red lights (one behind the other in the direction of travel) on the western side of the formation, and two red lights (one behind the other in the direction of travel) on the eastern side of the formation. The group of lights were in "bowling pin" formation, not a "chevron" formation.

The lights had approximately 2-3 degrees of arc separation between each of them. Each light was a diffuse red "disc", approximately 0.2 degrees of arc in diameter. All the lights were uniform in color and size, and had a constant intensity. They moved in exactly a straight line, at constant velocity, from the North-Northeast to the South-Southwest. It took approximately 8-9 seconds for the group of five lights to travel from directly over head to approximately 30 degrees above the horizon. No noise was observed. The sky was very clear-no clouds, or haze. The ambient was approximately 15 F. No shape, glow, or shadow was visible between the red lights.

I am an amatuer astronomer. This was a naked eye sighting. I was looking at the Pleides and Orion, when I noticed the group of lights moving rapidly overhead. I have seen high and low altitude plane lights, satellites, and meteors, but I have never seen anything like this pass overhead across the night sky before.

Posted 2005-01-19