NUFORC Sighting 57697

Occurred: 2007-07-17 00:13 Local
Reported: 2007-07-16 22:49 Pacific
Duration: 1 minute
No of observers: 1

Location: Macon, GA, USA

Shape: Flash
Characteristics: Lights on object, Aircraft nearby

Twin flashing lights seen over Macon, GA.

Let me preface this by saying that I have never thought of doing something like this before, and I am a "seeing is believing" type of person. I also want to let you know that I had spent 12 years in the Air Force, and my wife is still currently active at Robins AFB...so I am a little familiar with what aircraft look like. I am writing this approximately 25 minutes after this sighting. Lastly, while I am not entirely convinced that this is an actual "UFO sighting", I would like to provide this additional info in case someone else in my area reports this strange occurrence. Bare with me, as I am not very good at estimating distances.

While stepping outside of work for a smoke break, I noticed two brightly flashing lights approximately 20 to 25 degrees above my horizon look E-NE. Both objects appeared approximately two to three miles distant, and approaching me in such a way as to pass to the East of me by maybe a mile. I watched the lights for approximately 20 to 30 seconds before they passed behind a large tree, blocking my view. At first I suspected these lights to be aircraft flying to Robins AFB, as both were traveling at a speed that I would estimate to be faster than civilian aircraft or helicopters. I could detect no sound. Three things in particular caught my attention enough to question what I was seeing: 1) The lights of both craft (I am assuming that there were two) appeared to be flying in perfect tandem with each other, not uncommon with military aircraft, with one light trailing the other by perhaps 750 to 1000 feet...far enough to make it too large for both lights to be from any one aircraft I have seen.

2) The lights from both craft, at the distance which I saw them, appeared much larger that typical aircraft lights. They were approximately the luminosity of aircraft landing lights yet not blinding, and did not appear to shine light in any specific direction. What I mean by this is it didn't create any sort of beam of light in the sense that aircraft landing lights do. The color was a deep red, almost of the sort that you would see on a tall radio tower, but much brighter.

3) This is the one that got me thinking...both lights blinked in perfect unison with each other. I would estimate that the light would illuminate for 1-1/2 to 2 seconds, then disappear for the same duration. When the lights were off, there was no indication of any other wing lights or other illumination. Both lights blinked in perfect unison with each other for the 20 to 30 seconds that I first saw them, which I thought was unusual, as they did not once get unsychronized.

At this point, I was curious enough to change my vantage point. I moved to the side parking lot of my office to try to catch another view, and saw an aircraft in the distance probably 4 to 5 miles away, but clearly identifiable as an airplane from the light array. Thinking that I had just seen an airplane, I began to go back inside,I turned my head and saw both lights again, still blinking in perfect unison. They were now moving in a southerly direction, and still exhibited no other running lights. Suddenly, and in tandem, both lights appeared to change direction to the East, and then to the E-NE. This was a very fluid movement...not sudden, but quickly enough to make me think that it was a very maneuverable jet. Both lights executed the maneuver without growing closer or further apart from each other, as if was a single craft, yet too far apart to be a single craft. Also, the lights did not appear to alter position, such as if wings were turning. They maintained their luminosity throughout the turn...the blinking pattern remaining constant throughout. I watched this for another 10 -15 seconds before the lights simply vanished. Interestingly, a second or so after the two unidentified lights changed course, the distant aircraft also changed course, though in a much more leisurely manner, in the general direction of the other lights.

Conditions: Night, with scattered clouds, yet clear enough to see at distance. The cloud cover appeared to be above the lights at all times. According to Weather Channel online, visibility is currently 10 miles.

As I said, this is probably just an aircraft sighting, but there were enough curiosities to this incident to report this...if for lack of anything else, just in case someone else reports something. I'd be curious if anyone else saw this incident. I am familiar with watching aircraft, day and night, and this was different from any aircraft I have seen.

Posted 2007-08-07