Interested so asking question..

[Arch Enemy]

I am currently at a place on the coast of North Carolina facing South. Looking out into the night-sky we could see the usual cast of Venus, ISS, and Stars, however fast moving and fast blinking objects caught our attention.

For the next 30 min or so we sat and watched these blinking lights (very fast blinks) fly around, sometimes grouping up and sometimes separating. Everyonce in a while we'd see a faint red-light (which we thought were after burners)... and though we're Ocean front, we sometimes thought we could hear rumbling from aircraft.


Now I am interested... what would airforce training sessions look like in the night sky? And why would they be on the coast of North Carolina, toward the South?

 

[Oftencold]

I can throw out, from my own AF training, that what you see in the sky in the dark can be very different than what you think it is.

Several of us were taken into a very dark room, and eventually a small, dim red light was turned on. We were asked to describe it.

We finally agreed on the movements it was making, a slow, steady figure-of-eight.

This took about five minutes, for us to agree,

Then the lights were turned on, and we were shown that the light was nailed to the wall, it wasn't moving at all.

 

[Arch Enemy]

I can throw out, from my own AF training, that what you see in the sky in the dark can be very different than what you think it is.

Several of us were taken into a very dark room, and eventually a small, dim red light was turned on. We were asked to describe it.

We finally agreed on the movements it was making, a slow, steady figure-of-eight.

This took about five minutes, for us to agree,

Then the lights were turned on, and we were shown that the light was nailed to the wall, it wasn't moving at all.

Not it was alot more than a figure eight though. It would move towards the North, then towards the West and East. It would change it's speed and the repetition of the blinks would change.
At times there were 4 others only 3 could be seen.

 

[celticlord]

I am currently at a place on the coast of North Carolina facing South. Looking out into the night-sky we could see the usual cast of Venus, ISS, and Stars, however fast moving and fast blinking objects caught our attention.

For the next 30 min or so we sat and watched these blinking lights (very fast blinks) fly around, sometimes grouping up and sometimes separating. Everyonce in a while we'd see a faint red-light (which we thought were after burners)... and though we're Ocean front, we sometimes thought we could hear rumbling from aircraft.


Now I am interested... what would airforce training sessions look like in the night sky? And why would they be on the coast of North Carolina, toward the South?

Map of Cherry Point, NC by MapQuest

I'm guessing you saw some training flights from Cherry Point NAS.

 

[Apocalypse]

Someone was probably playing with a laser toy. :2razz:

 

[Arch Enemy]

Someone was probably playing with a laser toy. :2razz:

Not a chance.

They were too busy playing with Fireworks they got at the SC border (good fireworks are illegal in NC)

 

[Apocalypse]

Not a chance.

They were too busy playing with Fireworks they got at the SC border (good fireworks are illegal in NC)

What?
Do they have a law there saying "only bad fireworks allowed"? :shock:

 

[Arch Enemy]

Map of Cherry Point, NC by MapQuest

I'm guessing you saw some training flights from Cherry Point NAS.

That may be, but Seymour Johnson is just as far from my current location (less than 50 away from NC/SC Border).

 

[Arch Enemy]

What?
Do they have a law there saying "only bad fireworks allowed"? :shock:

Pretty much.....

CONSUMER FIREWORKS
Specifically Permitted Sparklers, fountains, smoke devices, snake and glow worms, trick noisemakers, and toy pistol caps.
Specifically Prohibited Explosive or aerial fireworks, roman candles, and rockets or similar devices.

 

[Scorpion89]

I am currently at a place on the coast of North Carolina facing South. Looking out into the night-sky we could see the usual cast of Venus, ISS, and Stars, however fast moving and fast blinking objects caught our attention.

For the next 30 min or so we sat and watched these blinking lights (very fast blinks) fly around, sometimes grouping up and sometimes separating. Everyonce in a while we'd see a faint red-light (which we thought were after burners)... and though we're Ocean front, we sometimes thought we could hear rumbling from aircraft.


Now I am interested... what would airforce training sessions look like in the night sky? And why would they be on the coast of North Carolina, toward the South?

Was this two night ago if so it was a Night Ops from MCAS Beaufort they were play night tag with some F-18Fs from US Navy Test Pilot School it was 6 F-18Ds from VMFA(AW)-224 going up against the 4 F-18Fs from NAS Pax River NTPS they also had a E-2C-2000 from NAS Oceana as Eye in the Sky.

 

[OxymoronP]

IT HAS BEGUN!!!

The Final Phase is upon us!

Have pitty on us ohh wise Lizard Overlords

 

[Ethereal]

I am currently at a place on the coast of North Carolina facing South. Looking out into the night-sky we could see the usual cast of Venus, ISS, and Stars, however fast moving and fast blinking objects caught our attention.

For the next 30 min or so we sat and watched these blinking lights (very fast blinks) fly around, sometimes grouping up and sometimes separating. Everyonce in a while we'd see a faint red-light (which we thought were after burners)... and though we're Ocean front, we sometimes thought we could hear rumbling from aircraft.


Now I am interested... what would airforce training sessions look like in the night sky? And why would they be on the coast of North Carolina, toward the South?

My grandma lives in the Blue Ridge Mountain Range on the Southern border of Virginia; her house overlooks a great deal of N. Carolina. Everytime I visited her we heard or saw some super-sonic jet(s) screaming over the mountains.