2003-01-15 - Fair Oaks, CA - Circle

Glowing orange object

I was out side about 11pm. It was a clear starry night. I noticed off in the distance to the north a glowing light. It wasn't very high, maybe 1000 feet or less. I kept watching because the light it omitted was different from any aircraft, but it looked like a candle under a white bag. The shape was strange. It appeared to have the shape of an old fashioned radio. It was domed, but not saucer like. The entire craft glowed, but you could clearly see what looked like burners (lights) on the bottom. It could not have been an airplane, because it was moving very slow, but too fast to be a hot air balloon. It just lumbered by then slowly veered to the right, then back to the left. Then it seemed to just hover for a bit. It then took on it original course and disappeared into the horizon. I had a total viewing time of about 10 minutes. I have no idea what it was. I tried to take video of the event, but it was too dark and by the time I had the camera working it was too far away. I saw it through my binoculars. Strange!