Lights observed in Tacoma, WA

I recently have been observing lights over the Southern skies in my home town of Tacoma, WA and I would love some feedback from my fellow ATS family. My first sighting was on August 28, 2011 and I captured video and pictures. My second sighting that i captured was on September 13, 2011, and I was able to get very steady video on a tri pod. I observed these lights a couple other times between 8/28 - 9/13, I just didn't have my camera handy.

I submitted a report to ufosnw.com following my first experience. Link is HERE

Here is a link to my Youtube account, which has two videos from 8/28 and one from 9/13. They appear to be the same lights and I apologize in advance for our chatter during the videos, its very annoying! Link is HERE

You will hear in the videos that I keep leaning towards flares as a possible explanation but I remain unsure. I want to add that have another video taken on 9/13 that is around 13 minutes long, I just have been unable to upload to Youtube.

Thank you,

Sequel

yeah, I doubt those are Chinese Lanterns, may look like it, but as soon as one spits out and burns out, another one spits out from the sky and burns out, and just keeps going. How weird. Nice footage.

Excellent vids. The female voice mentions flares and seeing smoke in one of them. If they are flares, they must be a specialty type. Meaning not just for immediate illumination.

How far is Tacoma from Yakima? S&F and we'll see what the gang has to say.

Here's vid 3:

Yeah, the color and flicker are definitely consistent with the general illumination flares I see over our local bombing and gunnery range. I would concur with flares.

reply to post by The GUT


Yakima is around 156 miles East. I want to add that i was facing South, which is where Joint Base Lewis- McChord is located. Army & Air Force.

I went to yahoo and searched out *fireball lights in Washington State* Wow.. you should SEE all the people that have seen what you've seen... I'm linking the search page to see if any of the links interest you... you can look at dates and see if any coincide with your date.

They looked like perfect round balls. I've never seen a meteor..so.. I couldn't speculate..but it definitely looks as if the circles are burning.

Search *Fireball in WA*

reply to post by tracehd1


Thanks for the link... I do not think my experiences are mentioned anywhere. The lights I saw never did any sort of "streaking" or "maneuvers".

I wish I could have seen the meteor mentioned!

A unit was doing night ops, normal stuff.
second.

reply to post by eaglewingz


Thanks for your input. If these are in fact flares, I am wondering if they are being launched from the ground or dropped from some sort of air craft above? Any idea?

Thanks in advance!

reply to post by Sequel


they are shot up from the ground.

I can hear traffic in the background. The next time you see these lights, would you, "Slowly" pan your camera around and record some scenes around you. This would help me with getting some perspective of what you are seeing. Additionally, if you can focus the camera as well.
Sorry, but right know, it looks like someone is lighting and extinguishing candles in the distance.

Flares are also dropped out of military aircraft, but those kinds of flares are designed to light up the ground below.

2nd.

reply to post by Violater1


I can definitely do that next time if I catch this again. Definitely not someone manipulating candles but I have no way of proving that. Just take my word for it... heh, j/k.

reply to post by Violater1


Right, I was thinking he could be filming a remote control or toy in a dark living room. Or something along those lines.

reply to post by BIGPoJo


I am wondering if you can answer this... If these are flares that are shot up from the ground, would I see some sort of light/trail/smoke as it ascends?

reply to post by Sequel


This depends on the ambient light of the surrounding area. If you have ever been to a fireworks show you will understand what I am saying. Sometimes you can see the little rocket shoot up into the air but if there is too much light you only see the firework explode and not its ascent.

I don't know what these things are, they could be road flares on balloons.

They are flares, they do leave a trail but from your distance you cant really see it, THEY (ARMY) ARE DOING NIGHT OPS. I don't like to use caps but it seems you aren't understanding what I'm telling you. Nothing strange and nothing new, just flares.

reply to post by NoClue206


Oh, excuse me wise one, I forgot to ask the mods to close down this thread because you provided an opinion. Too funny. I obviously think flares as well but have no way of being sure, hence my post on ATS.

Being a former Marine and in the Army here in Washington I know exactly what they are. They are what they look like.

reply to post by NoClue206


Thank you for your expertise, that is why I posted here. Now its obvious that I have no experience with flares which is why I will continue to monitor responses from others.

Thank you.