<p>Definitely a UFO - Unidentified Flying Object, not necessarily aliens :-).  </p>

<p>A few possibilities I can think of (would be nice to know how fast the objects were going, and whether or not they disappeared), arranged by most plausible to least plausible:</p>

<p><strong>Birds</strong> If it was just after sunset, or just before sun rise, birds could have been flying up far above, where the sun was shining, though it was dark on the ground.  This would be moving fairly slowly through the sky.</p>

<p><strong>Shiny Balloon</strong> It could have been a shiny helium balloon drifting by with the lights of the city reflecting off it as it moved, causing the apparent motion.  If this were the case, the "dots" should have stayed fairly close together, and it should have been fairly slow moving unless it was low and the wind was blowing fast.  It would seem the pattern would be randomized, and not necessarily a "formation" though, unless formation just meant they were travelling together.</p>

<p><strong>Meteor fragments</strong> It could have been fragments of a meteor that broke up, but they would likely be travelling straight, and not flying in any recognizable formation (but would be going nearly same direction, likely spreading out with time, and burning up / disappearing).  This would have gone fairly fast through the sky and disappeared, or at least shrunk if they were large fragments.</p>

<p><strong>Aliens</strong> At first, seemed the only plausible explanation, but there are others after thinking about it a bit.</p>

<p><strong>Satellites</strong> would not change formation like that, but there is a possibility atmospheric distortions (like the "waves of heat" you can see coming off the road on a hot day) could have caused the effect with a single passing satellite.  However, you probably would have noticed the stars doing the same thing if that were the case.  I am also not aware of multiple satellites being grouped together like that, and they would not be able to change formation like that.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-26T16:44:33.607Z
Hi thanks for the suggestions. The objects were travelling with the seed of a satellite. and inimically looked to me like a group of satellites flying together (not that i ever seen satellites travelling together like that).
Luke
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-26T20:41:22.663Z
I remember when I first saw a flock of geese flying over a large city at night. The reflected light made them look orange and they flew in a V formation. I wonder for how many sightings of [black triangles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_triangle_(UFO)) these birds actually account. I was staring at it wide-eyed until the UFO honked a couple of times :)
toniedzwiedz
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-28T12:38:00.187Z
I'm not saying it was space aliens, but... it was SPACE ALIENS!!!!!
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-26T12:49:40.187Z
2017-08-26T12:49:40.187Z
Jonathan
<p>This evening while siting in the garden I saw an unusual group of light objects in the sky. On their own each of the 5 objects would look like a satellite and I would not give it a second thought.</p>

<p>The mentioned objects clearly moved in the same direction across the sky and with a speed and light pattern of a satellite. The other unusual thing was that the objects were rapidly changing formation moving away and towards one-another with no discernible pattern.</p>

<p>Also I would like to say as I Live in the London area I am quite accustomed to seeing planes in the night sky and do not think the object I saw was a plane or planes. The light emitted was white and constant and the formation of the objects was fairly scattered and changing very fast.</p>

<p>Can anyone please suggest what was it that I saw?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-31T13:01:25.233Z
Please see our help center for direction on writing good questions.
called2voyage
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-27T06:19:24.287Z
related: https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/14406/unknown-moving-objects
J. Chomel
<observational-astronomy><satellite><formation>
Group of satellite like objects moving through the sky in a formation
Luke
# Group of satellite like objects moving through the sky in a formation

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-08-25)

This evening while siting in the garden I saw an unusual group of light objects in the sky. On their own each of the 5 objects would look like a satellite and I would not give it a second thought.

The mentioned objects clearly moved in the same direction across the sky and with a speed and light pattern of a satellite. The other unusual thing was that the objects were rapidly changing formation moving away and towards one-another with no discernible pattern.

Also I would like to say as I Live in the London area I am quite accustomed to seeing planes in the night sky and do not think the object I saw was a plane or planes. The light emitted was white and constant and the formation of the objects was fairly scattered and changing very fast.

Can anyone please suggest what was it that I saw?

**Tags:** observational-astronomy, satellite, formation

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Please see our help center for direction on writing good questions.  
> **username_2**: related: https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/14406/unknown-moving-objects  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-08-26. Score: 4

Definitely a UFO - Unidentified Flying Object, not necessarily aliens :-).

A few possibilities I can think of (would be nice to know how fast the objects were going, and whether or not they disappeared), arranged by most plausible to least plausible:

**Birds** If it was just after sunset, or just before sun rise, birds could have been flying up far above, where the sun was shining, though it was dark on the ground. This would be moving fairly slowly through the sky.

**Shiny Balloon** It could have been a shiny helium balloon drifting by with the lights of the city reflecting off it as it moved, causing the apparent motion. If this were the case, the "dots" should have stayed fairly close together, and it should have been fairly slow moving unless it was low and the wind was blowing fast. It would seem the pattern would be randomized, and not necessarily a "formation" though, unless formation just meant they were travelling together.

**Meteor fragments** It could have been fragments of a meteor that broke up, but they would likely be travelling straight, and not flying in any recognizable formation (but would be going nearly same direction, likely spreading out with time, and burning up / disappearing). This would have gone fairly fast through the sky and disappeared, or at least shrunk if they were large fragments.

**Aliens** At first, seemed the only plausible explanation, but there are others after thinking about it a bit.

**Satellites** would not change formation like that, but there is a possibility atmospheric distortions (like the "waves of heat" you can see coming off the road on a hot day) could have caused the effect with a single passing satellite. However, you probably would have noticed the stars doing the same thing if that were the case. I am also not aware of multiple satellites being grouped together like that, and they would not be able to change formation like that.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Hi thanks for the suggestions. The objects were travelling with the seed of a satellite. and inimically looked to me like a group of satellites flying together (not that i ever seen satellites travelling together like that).  
> **username_4**: I remember when I first saw a flock of geese flying over a large city at night. The reflected light made them look orange and they flew in a V formation. I wonder for how many sightings of [black triangles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_triangle_(UFO)) these birds actually account. I was staring at it wide-eyed until the UFO honked a couple of times :)  
> **username_5**: I'm not saying it was space aliens, but... it was SPACE ALIENS!!!!!  

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