2008-09-01 - Wilmington, IL - Unknown

Object flying with blinking red light, flying erratic, hovering, then doing it again 3 X.

This is Labor Day Evening, Sept 1, 2008 at 8:47-9 02 PM Central Time. Looking up at a clear sky I notice what I initially thought was a Blinking STAR. After a couple of seconds, it started moving. I immediately assume it was a jet. It had white lights, with a blinking red light in the middle. It was at a height that you would normally see a passenger plane that was so high, all you could see was the lights at night.

I was about ready to dismiss it as a plane, when it seemed to change direction. Initially it was heading in a somewhat Western direction, then it sort of headed left, but not really a left turn, simply sort of veered left. The best example I can think of is like when you were a kid playing with one of those old " Etch a sketch" toys. Until you got good at it, it was difficult to make turns or curves.

It continues to go in different directions, left, right, then it seemed to stop for 5 seconds or so. I knocked on the front window for my wife to come see. She also noticed it. She seemed to think that the red light was going in a circular direction, possibly clockwise. We watched it until it was headed due south and disappeared over the neighbor’s tree line.

I did not know who to call, so I hit Google and found your contact info. Just prior to typing this report, I went back outside and sure enough, there it was again, in the exact same place as when I first noticed it as a blinking star. It was moving back west again, but this time directly west, and seemed a bit quicker. Again my wife seen it this 2nd time too.

Although, I absolutely do believe in life other than on earth, I never seen a flying object that was this high, this bright, flying in erratic directions, and seem to hover, then a few minutes seem to be coming back and doing it all over.

It is now just past 9:20 PM and it is once again heading in an erratic flight path, but in the SAME position as the 1st 2 time heading west. Every once in a while, one of the white lights seem to blink bright enough to get your attention. Then it disappears over the trees.

Possible thoughts was a satellite. It was way too high for any helicopter or smaller Cessna type plane. Heading in too many weird directions for a large jet plane. And unless there was several in a row, why was it retracing its direction at least 3 times. That was when I seen it. Who knows how long or many times it completed this exercise? Please advise