1983-08-01 - Santa Rosa, CA - Unknown

Slow flying, noiseless object with red strobes.

This incident occured several years ago when I was 7 or 8 years old. Since the incident I have been keenly interested in military technology and the UFO phenomenon. I have always sought an explaination as to what I observed but so far have been unsatisfied. I was staying up late with a younger child. I believe it was a summer night about 1:30 or so in the morning. I don't think we were supposed to be up but when you are that age and you have a friend over you sometimes want to stay up all night and play. My bedroom window faced north just outside a highway and I was looking outside at the sky and hills when I noticed an airplane. I would guess now that it was 5 miles out? The airplane was rather odd however. Instead of the alternating red/green wing strobes it had 2 red strobing lights evenly spaced that flashed slowly and simultaneously. I became very interested because I had never seen an airplane at night that had lights like that. I watched for a while and it seemed like the aircraft was floating in the air. It was moving (north-south), but every airplane I had seen fly before would have passed over by then (I had been watching for maybe 5 mins.) I wanted to know what kind of airplane it was! I opened the window hoping to hear any engine noise. Was it a jet or rotory craft? as it came closer over the window, I turned off the light partly out of fear partly to cut the glare from the room light. Fear. I still couldn't make out the shape, just the lights. I began to stop thinking it was an airplane. I was very afraid but excited and curious at the same time. The object was just overhead. I cannot remember the silhouette. But it must have been 200ft overhead just gliding over slowly lights blinking. Absolutely no noise! I could have ridden my bicycle faster than it was traveling. My friend saw it too, but I don't remember his reaction. As soon as it left my field if view (directly over the roof), I ran to my parent's bedroom. I wanted an adult to see it! They told me to go to bed. I rushed out the front door I was no loger afraid, I wanted to see it closer. At the rate of speed it was going it should have still been over the roof. When I went outside the night was still and quiet and the object was gone. I have seen all kinds of airplaned since. Blimps, ultralights have motors... Other airplanes have engines that make much more noise. I have seen a jet at night with only a single red strobe, but never two that flash slowly and simultaneously. Now that I know more about aircraft, I realize that at that altitude and speed it should have stalled. It couldn't have been going more than 15mph. I wish I had more visual details to report. Many years have gone by and it was night. The memory still strikes me. I hope taht someday I will find a decent explaination but I am afraid I will never find one. The impression after the incident was that it wasn't man made.

((NUFORC Note: Date is approximate. PD))