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Astronomy/Moving Line of Lights

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Expert: - 3/18/2010


Question
Hi, the other night me and my friends were driving my on friend back to his house in Polk Township,Pa in Monroe County. While we were driving i saw a weird string of lights.  My one other friend also saw it. Resembled the shape and movement of a snake, about five or six lights almost slithering and curling into itself. We stopped and there was no sound of helicopters and we were in the middle of no where, Allentown being the closest airport. Do you have any ideas what we might have been seeing?

Answer
Hi Chris,
Not really...BUT...The odds are pretty good that it probably was, in fact, a flight of night flying helicopters way off in the distance. Lights at night (especially on a very clear night) can be seen for over 50 miles away.  (We see stars that are hundreds of lightyears away!)   So there would be no sound at that distance either.  If it was a weekend night, you could check to see if there was a Military Reserve Weekend meeting or get together at one of the nearby reserve bases like Indiantown Gap or Niagara Falls Reserve Air Base. The helicopters like to practice at
night at low level between the mountains, in preparation for enemy mountainous terrain like
Afghanistan and northern Iraq.
Clear skies,
Tom Whiting
Erie, PA  

Astronomy

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Tom Whiting

Expertise

Astronomy has been my hobby/pasttime for over 50 years.  Currently own 3 telescopes, the largest of which is a 30 inch Newtonian truss Dob that is portable.I taught Astronomy/Meteorology at the University Level for 13 years before retiring in 1995. Being retired and home most of the time, I am able to answer all questions relatively quickly, unless it's a new moon weekend with good observing conditions.  No astrology questions please, or questions about alleged UFO picture identifications.

Experience

Experience: Astronomy has been my hobby and study for over 50 years. We currently now own a 30 inch portable telescope (Updated - Pennsylvania`s largest portable telescope). It can be seen on our website at:http://www.velocity.net/~bwhiting and also attend several regional starparties during the year, and have been on 5 total solar eclipse expeditions.

Organizations: President, Erie County Mobile Observers Group for over 15 years.

Publications: Wrote the "Over Erie Skies" newspaper article in our local newspaper for 11 years (1975-86).

Education: Masters Degree- Taught at the University level for 13 years. Retired 20 years -USAF Pilot - KC-135 with 180 combat missions;  Also Eagle Scout, Philmont staff 2 Yrs, Order of Arrow Lodge Chief, Ham Radio (inactive).

Awards: two discoveries: The mini-coathanger asterism in Ursa Minor (the little dipper) And the mini-ladle- another asterism in the bowl of Ursa Minor. Clients: Currently President of the ECMOG as mentioned above.

Education/Credentials
BS  Metallurgical Engineering Grove City College, PAMaster's Degree, Gannon University, Erie, PA Also retired USAF pilot, 20 years.

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