2006-07-04 - El Cajon, CA - Unknown

Red Lights Over El Cajon, California

On July 4, 2006, my son and I observed an object consisting of three red lights, which changed color often. The object was to our East, between Fletcher Hills and the City of El Cajon in California about 15 miles East of San Diego.

The lights appeared to be moving away from us slowly in an Eastward direction. The three lights formed a triangular shape, and the top light would pulsate on and off, as well as the red on all three lights would change in color and intensity. The red color was about as red and bright as a laser pointing device. There was numerous small aircraft in the area from Gillespie Field (Three letter airport code: SEE)in El cajon and as well, many commercial airliners passing overhead (altitude would be about 3000 to 6000 feet for the commericial aircraft on this approach - yes I am a rated private pilot) in the approach pattern to Lindbergh Field in San Diego. However, the light pattern was not conistent with an airplane, nor was the movement consistent with either a helicopter or airplane. The object appeared to be steady (non-moving) for about 5 minutes, then it started drifting slowly to the ESE. The object then vanished. Our view was not blocked or obstructed, so it did not go behind a building, tree, cloud, etc., it just appeared to go dark all of a sudden. A small plane in the touch and go landing pattern at Gillespie Field (they use runway 27R during night ops) flew through the area within two minutes of us losing visual contact of the object. We tried to take digital photographs, but my son has yet to download them to the computer so we can see if we captured anything or not. This was also not mistaking the local fireworks displays going on around town, as we could not see any fireworks from our location and the object bore no resemblence to any fireworks. The weather was clear, with no clouds or low lying fog in the area - visibility was about 20 miles, temperature was approximately 80 Deg F, with light winds. We could see plenty of stars in and around where we saw the object both before, during and after the event. There was no sound heard from the object, nor was there any sudden movements. The appearence and disappearence were the only quick actions by the object, and the movement was similiar to a hot air ballon, in that it seemed to drift more than fly. We have seen many hot air ballons, and there was no flame present such as what a hot air ballon would have, only three red lights and a visible dark area between the lights, which we believed to be the structure of the object. I tried to logically explain what it was to myself since observing the object last night, but I can not come up with anything which I can say, yes that is what it was. I have had to file this in my mind as "unknown" or when my son asked me what it was, I said "I have no idea kiddo" and that is where it remains.