What am I seeing?

[Baradium]

Alright, maybe someone will have an idea of what this is.   

The other night we're flying back from Anchorage and I notice what initially looks like an airport beacon.  Except it's a constant light, just alternating white, green, and red.   It appeared to be well off in the distance and stayed pretty much just ahead of or off the wingtip.  It did appear to move back and forth (from just above the wing to ahead), but that may be due to minor course changes the aircraft was making.   It was very obviously above the horizon, but not high in the sky. 

Last night (New Year's Eve) I flew with one of the senior captains who normally flies this route.  He said he's seen it for a few years now.  It's not always in the same place, but at the same times of day it is.  Of course, you can't always see it when there are high clouds.

Any clue what this thing is?


Oh, and check this out:
http://www.myfoxny.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=1933986&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.1.1

[undatc]

Aliens.....

Dunno, could be a marker for a buliding or antenna of some sort.  I was in Seattle (actually alki beach for those of you that know Seattle) and was looking across the bay at the bulidings and noticed that not all the bulidings have the red aviation markers.  Some actually had green and blue lights on top.

Arent airial baloons marked by lights?  Could be that.

[Baradium]

Aliens.....

Dunno, could be a marker for a buliding or antenna of some sort.  I was in Seattle (actually alki beach for those of you that know Seattle) and was looking across the bay at the bulidings and noticed that not all the bulidings have the red aviation markers.  Some actually had green and blue lights on top.

Arent airial baloons marked by lights?  Could be that.

It's not on the ground, and it stays in a consistant area at this time of year based on what kind of day it is.  But it doesn't move as you move.  We went 300 miles and it was in the same place on the wing.  Plus it's constantly alternating.  Nevermind that Alaska doesn't exactly have very many buildings.  It moves during different times of the day, so I don't think a balloon is very likely.  I could definately see the horizon below it, and we were in the flight levels.  That'd be quite a tall tower!     It was  a really bright light.  Was brighter than most of the stars in the sky.  That's the other thing, the captain thinks it maintains a constant position relative to the stars...

[undatc]

It's not on the ground, and it stays in a consistant area at this time of year based on what kind of day it is.  But it doesn't move as you move.  We went 300 miles and it was in the same place on the wing.  Plus it's constantly alternating.  Nevermind that Alaska doesn't exactly have very many buildings.  It moves during different times of the day, so I don't think a balloon is very likely.  I could definately see the horizon below it, and we were in the flight levels.  That'd be quite a tall tower!     It was  a really bright light.  Was brighter than most of the stars in the sky.  That's the other thing, the captain thinks it maintains a constant position relative to the stars...

Eh, probably Aliens.

When I said balloon i wasnt thinking like manned.  I was more thinking like unmanned, teathered balloon.  Maybe for weather or something.  Anything listed on the sectional?  What about calling FSS and asking if anything is registered in that area?

[G-man]

Stupid question maybe but:

1.  It did appear to move back and forth (from just above the wing to ahead), but that may be due to minor course changes the aircraft was making.

2.  We went 300 miles and it was in the same place on the wing.

The atmosphere can play some pretty cool tricks with light. Look at the whole Northern Lights phenomenon.


Your sure its not your own beacon and nav lights reflecting in the atmosphere?

[Baradium]

Stupid question maybe but:

1.  It did appear to move back and forth (from just above the wing to ahead), but that may be due to minor course changes the aircraft was making.

2.  We went 300 miles and it was in the same place on the wing.

The atmosphere can play some pretty cool tricks with light. Look at the whole Northern Lights phenomenon.


Your sure its not your own beacon and nav lights reflecting in the atmosphere?

Was too far off in the distance.  Also, the colors were alternating constantly.  Our beacons are white so the red light would have come from the opposite side of the aircraft (pretty darn unlikely!)


undatc:  I was thinking the same lines as far as what you meant.  But I don't know what kind of balloon would put off that pattern of light.  Wasn't the correct pattern for any airport beacons either.

[tundra_flier]

Sounds like a planet.  I believe it's venus that appears to change colors as you watch it.  Mars always appears red.

Phil

[undatc]

Could be that, i dont remember much form my astronomy merit badge, but i know planets change colors.  Though they are very small in the sky, and im not sure how they appear up there, but i know here they are in the middleish of the sky.

What about a helicopter doing something?  Maybe he ferries something thing out at that time or i dunno. I revert back to ET.

[Baradium]

I have no clue guys.   The captain said he decided it must be a supernova or other star doing something weird.  A planet could be feasible I guess.


I honestly thought it was an airport beacon at first, because I gained sight of it on climb out.  Then it became clear it was above the horizon and I realized the color pattern wasn't right.

I also don't see how a helicopter could put out such a pattern.

This light was pretty darn bright.   It seemed brighter or as bright as any of the stars int he sky, and at 20,000 ft over Alaska, the stars are petty bright themselves!   (not much light pollution in Alaska).  The moon was also bright enough to read by (litterally). 

[undatc]

Haha, just saw the UFO sighting.

Could be jsut swamp gas and mirrors.  Light of your wing, or light of a house, refracting or something.  You say it happens this time of year, in the same spot?  Could it be christmas lights?  Someone maybe hoisting a star or something up in a tree.

[Panzerrat]

I'm going with the planet idea.  The fact that it never really changed its aspect angle to the plane hints that it's hell and gone.  As far as the shifting of colors?  Call it atmosphereics affecting the light.

[Baradium]

Haha, just saw the UFO sighting.

Could be jsut swamp gas and mirrors.  Light of your wing, or light of a house, refracting or something.  You say it happens this time of year, in the same spot?  Could it be christmas lights?  Someone maybe hoisting a star or something up in a tree.

Well, it changes position relative to time of day as well...

I don't know it's not there year round...  but during summer you don't see the stars, because it doesn't really get dark. 

[switchtech]

Give me the actual date and time and I'll run a chart of the sky from Anchorage to try to identify any potential objects - also the direction the object was (a rough guess is OK here).

jbs

[Baradium]

That would have been Saturday I believe  between 7 and 10 pm (would have to look at the flight log to get more specific, don't remember which flight I did that day).

Direction would be southeast, maybe eastsoutheast by southeast... maybe eastsoutheast  too...

[switchtech]

I put a little page up with star charts so you can look at them and decide if the sky looks the same.  I think Sirius is a good potential candidate for your mystery light, but as I didn't see it, I'll leave that determination up to you.

http://switchtech.us/StarBeacon/SkyBeacon.htm

JBS