2012-12-31 - Fort Myers, FL - Formation

Strange formation of lights in western sky over Fort Myers, FL.

In late afternoon, before dark, I noticed an unusual orangish-red light moving towards me in the Western sky.  I watched it for a few minutes and then went into my house.  I thought it strange because of its color.

Later that same night, December 31, 2012, at around 11:10 PM, I went outside to sit on my lanai.  I looked up and saw approximately 5 to 7 orangish-red, ball shaped lights moving across the sky in a strange formation.  It took approximately 3 minutes for the formation to disappear behind a large cloud bank.  

I could not determine if the formation was a single large object with multiple lights or multiple objects.  My impression was that it was both. 

When I first saw the formation, I immediately went into the house to get my camera.  I was able to capture video footage of the lights as well as a second video of another, single, light that appeared moments after the formation was lost to the clouds.  

This second single light followed the same flight path as the formation, also disappearing into the same cloud bank.   

Both the formation and the second single light moved steadily in a north-westerly direction.  They all appeared to have controlled flight - though it seemed more like gliding.  

I did not see anything emerge from the clouds, perhaps because the bank was very large.  I could not see a glow or reflection through the clouds.  They made no sound I could hear.