2016-11-05 - Fairbanks, AK - Light

Strange Orange Lights over the Alaska Range While Flying from Anchorage to Fairbanks

This was on flight 2811 from Anchorage to Fairbanks (south to north). I was sitting in row 3 on the right side of the Q400, looking out to the east/northeast. As we climbed just above the cloud layer to cruising altitude over the Alaska Range, I first noticed 2 bright orange lights fade in and then out right above the clouds off to the northeast. The still bright "supermoon" was out, and the stars will clearly visible in the sky. I exclaimed "what was that?" out loud, but most others were sleeping or otherwise occupied. I looked for a reflection inside the aircraft that might have caused this anomaly, but seeing nothing I continued to press myself to the glass to look for it again. A few minutes later, several groups (2-3 in each tight group) of these bright lights appeared to the right of the moon, a little above the horizon. They almost looked like little flames fading in and out. They glowed bright, way brighter than stars. They would fade out, and then repeat again approximately 5-6 more times over the next 10 minutes.

We were already beginning descent into Fairbanks, which was overcast and snowing. I kept watching for more, but lost the entire field of view as we descended into the clouds and then landed. Fairbanks was socked in with snow, so there was no way this could have been seen from town if looking southeast towards the Alaska Range. I have no idea what this was. My only thought was fighter jet engines burning in the distance as they did exercises? The lights were a fair distance away and didn't really move, however. They faded in and then faded out in place, about 8-10 seconds each time.

I'm quite a skeptical person, but this is the strangest thing I've ever seen out of an airplane.


((NUFORC Note: Witness elects to remain totally anonymous; provides no contact information. PD))