2014-01-07 - San Rafael, CA - Formation

Seven high altitude flashing lights over San Rafael

I was on my porch smoking a cigarette and looked up at what I thought was a star that was flashing repeatedly at a high rate. Its position was strait above. For a moment I thought I was looking at a pulsar before realizing that pulsars don't strobe as fast as the light I was observing. I went to my room mates door to show him what I was seeing. At that moment I observed another flashing light due west of the original light. My room mate came outside and was surprised at the sighting. He then brought my attention to the other five remaining lights that were also in a north western position in the sky from the original light I had spotted. The lights slowly moved north west, disappearing over the cloud cover that was drifting in from the coast. The whole sighting lasted about five minuets.