NUFORC Sighting 144558

Occurred: 2018-12-31 22:00 Local
Reported: 2019-01-18 06:15 Pacific
Duration: ~15 minutes
No of observers: 4

Location: Spring, TX, USA

Shape:
Characteristics: Changed Colo

Red/ Orange lights - spherical shape

Location: Spring, TX along Grand Parkway, 5 miles east of interstate 45
Date: 31 December 2018
Time: 22:00hrs
Observation: 6 orange/ red lights over course of approximately 10-15 minutes Orange/ red lights moving in a general SW to NE direction. Difficult to judge distance, but appeared to move from below low level clouds to a higher elevation. First saw only one light, which moved from approximately 50 degrees of arc to roughly 110 degrees relative to my position before disappearing.

Light changed both intensity and color over approximately 1-2 minutes of observation. Intensity would fade, then return to original brightness. The light at first appeared to be an aircraft in the holding pattern of IAH. Approach vector matched typical inbound commercial aircraft.

After initial observation, it became clear that this was not a commercial airliner, due to a single light source. Meaning there were no approach or running lights, nor were there any strobes. No typical turbofan engine sound could be heard (no discernible noise at all related to the light) Approach speed and angle were consistent with powered flight on a steady course.

After 2-3 minutes a second light appeared, following the same trajectory as the first. I observed both of these until they appeared to either dissipate or disappear into the clouds.

Shortly after the first two lights disappeared, a second pair could be observed above the tree line, however these were on a different trajectory in their flight path. The first set travelled from a 12 o’clock position to a 9 o’clock position, from my perspective as the observer. The second followed a narrower flight path from 12 to 1 o’clock position.

A third pair of lights followed a 12 to 3 o’clock path.

Other observers present suggested this could have been a Chinese lantern or a drone. Drone was not plausible due to the number, apparent altitude, lack of sound, and lack of running lights. Chinese lanterns could not have moved at the apparent speed and divergent trajectories.

I took several photos of the lights and attempted a video, these were not very detailed. However, the lights matched a video recording posted on YouTube that was filmed in South Carolina during December 24th. The audio description also matches what I observed.

https://youtu.be/WQsSORRSzSE I’m filing this report after doing some research and seeing a pattern of similar observations during the same period of time.

Posted 2019-01-24

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