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NJ Residents Spot UFO (Or Just Road Flares) Overhead
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 7, 2009
Modified Jan 7, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 7, 2009
Modified Jan 7, 2009
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Some NJ residents spotted an odd formation of flashing red lights on Monday night (perhaps right when New Yorkers were smelling maple syrup) and wondered if we are not alone. Here's an excerpt of a MUFON report (via a YouTube video):
As an amateur astronomer of nearly 20 years experience, this is the second time I have seen something in the sky that is difficult to explain. I was on my apartment stoop smoking a cigarette when my neighbor, who was just coming home after parking his car in our complexs lot, called my attention to something around the corner of the building.
I moved to share his line of sight and immediately saw an equilateral triangle composed of six red lights. The lights shone at approximately -2.5 magnitude and covered an area of roughly 9 square degrees in the sky. Three lights marked each of the triangles corners, and three others were arranged outside around them, forming a larger triangle, equal in proportion and orientation to the inner one. As I watched, the individual points were in motion with respect to each other, but the group appeared to hang motionless in the southwest sky. At this point, the approximate alt-az of the lights was 160°(SSE) by 35° elevation.
My Fox NY also spoke to a pilot
who saw the lights and found it "a little scary." However, the police say that the lights were caused by road flares attached to helium balloons (but who does that), but you should watch this video and judge for yourself:
Here's another video.
Tagged
aliens
conspiracy
morristown
nj
not alone
road flares
ufo
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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