2003-09-20 - Mooresville, NC - Unknown

((NUFORC Note: We suspect twinkling stars may have been the cause of the sighting. PD))

Strobing "stars"???

For about a year or so, I have started to notice objects in sky that look like stars, but they don't "twinkle" like other stars, and they don't have a steady glow like planets. These "stars" have a very refined, sharp light, not soft like stars. The lights have a very sharp contrast like a strobe light or laser light. With the naked eye, one can tell that these objects oscillate between red, white, and blue colors. With binoculars, I noticed that it APPEARS that the blue light is a steady glow in the upper left and upper right "corners" of the object. The red light appears to be a steady glow in the lower right "corner" and the white seems to be flashing from the center. (NOTE: it's very difficult get binoculars in a steady enough position to view these things clearly. I need a telescope) In the past couple of weeks, I have taken a notice to just how many there really are. I see 4 of these stars in the Northeastern sky, spread pretty far apart, I see 3 in the Northwestern sky in a triangular pattern, and 3 in the Southwestern sky, in a straight line.

I don't think these objects are geosynchronous satellites, because they are staionary like other stars. Thier referenced positions change with the rotation of the Earth. Because of where they are positioned, they never pass overhead with the planet's rotations, and all of them stay somewhat close to the horizon.

If these are satellites, why would they have visible lights on them? I have a friend in Charlotte, who is 30 miles south of me, is able to see these objects. My wife and my parents have seen them, as well.

I would love to know how many other stargazers have noticed this, and if anyone has a good explanation, because right now, I really don't think these are stars.