NUFORC Sighting 127131

Occurred: 2016-04-16 21:50 Local
Reported: 2016-05-01 13:22 Pacific
Duration: 15-20 minutes
No of observers: 1

Location: Miramar, FL, USA

Shape: Rectangle
Characteristics: Lights on object

2 rectangluar objects 1 with 10 multi color lights (other just 8 white but went totally dark) 10 pm low & slow flying

In my home and had sudden “need” to take dog outside...he was sleeping (I'm intuitive at times.) As I was outside I noticed a rectangular shape in the western sky, moving slowly and quite low. It did not have the usual red/green lights on wing tips—it had no visible wing tips. What it did have is two rows of lights which reminded me at first of a domino. However, the front two lights were white, blinking (not appear to be strobe) and the others were various jewel toned colors of blue, green, yellow, red and possibly orange. The object was about a mile and half downrange 25 degree and under 2000', closer to 1300-1500', heading WNW (as if flying to Eglin AFB).

As I tried to determine if it had 8 or 10 lights, disregarding the colors I saw and trying to count (there were no “middle dots” of lights like on a domino) another rectangular craft appeared, about a mile 20 degree NNW of me at the time, at maybe 1000'. It, too, had lights but all were white and it only had 8. Then I knew the first one had 10 lights. The second craft went dark, which is why I didn't notice it at first.

I tried to take photographs with iPhone which only showed a non-round shape and no colors. I went into the house for my Canon T3i but the battery was dead. I returned to the back yard to finish viewing the object(s). The second rectangle became visible once more and then dark again and I did not see it again. It had lights on less than 30 seconds both times.

There was limited moonlight (moving from 1st quarter to full) , low groups of clouds moving in and heavy variable winds (a front clashing with sea breezes?) The Sun Life stadium is just east southeast, as is Miami International, slightly farther and southeast and Ft. Lauderdale AP north, with North Perry (small ap) 4 miles due east. Plenty of air traffic since new runway opened MIA 2 years ago.

At first thought was a blimp, but saw no shape and am not aware of any lighting configuration. There were no events at the stadium that I am aware of but a music festival in Ft Lauderdale. Since the craft were moving slowly I did at first think blimp, but have never seen 2 blimps in the air at the same time in over 60 years. Plus, the craft were flying too fast for blimps in the heavy winds but too slowly for jets.

I then thought of helicopters flying some kind of lighted panels, but there was not enough sound (was there any?) of engines tugging anything in the wind. Helicopters fly overhead all the time.

At one brief moment the clouds allowed the moonlight to reflect more on the clouds and I thought I saw a giant circular shape above (as if attached to) the 10 lighted rectangle...but it was so brief it could have been my imagination. It was only grey and would make the craft 3x in diameter of the width of the light “panel”.

I've viewed the stealth bomber flying at about 300' overhead near HAFB before US was admitted we had it...viewing/securing? The downrange flight of a shuttle launch at night so I wasn't spooked but couldn't figure these out. Called my aviation brother immediately 23:04 and discussed for an hour. He had no clue. Posted on @FAANews inquiry.

Today, there's heavy air traffic and I was using it and photographs online to help in computing distance and altitude as best I could (difficult since I do not know what I was viewing and had no size references) when I found this site.

Posted 2016-05-06