NUFORC Sighting 116391

Occurred: 2014-12-31 23:30 Local
Reported: 2014-12-31 22:38 Pacific
Duration: 15 minutes
No of observers: 5

Location: Smyrna, GA, USA

Shape: Disk
Characteristics: Lights on object

Very bright orange/red lights on disc shaped craft heading due south over Atlanta on New Years Eve

Spotted an unusually bright orange/red light flying north to south over the house on New Years Eve - much like a fireball but without a tail. Flew directly over Dobbins Air Reserve base towards my residence, (which is perpendicular to their runway). Solid flare - no colored side lamps, no blinking lights, much brighter than other planes nearby, easily a -6 brightness. Absolutely silent, left no contrail. Moved faster than a plane but slower than a meteor.

Was clearly disc shaped as it passed overhead/perhaps more like a donut (darkened center underneath). As soon as it passed another appeared on same trajectory, then another and another evenly spaced - counted 8 of them in 15 minutes, with one slightly off to our west but still heading due south.

This is highly unusual for regular air traffic because the standard holding pattern from Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta is to cycle planes to our west heading due north instead.

Could not be lanterns - wind was blowing NNW and these were much larger than anything else in the sky. Five witnesses.

Posted 2015-01-07