Orb, Satellites, or Something Else? Multiple Sightings in Southeast MA (2/5-2/10/25)
Location: Southern Plymouth County, Massachusetts
Despite having a limited view of the sky from my wooded area, I’ve noticed a significant amount of activity in recent weeks, particularly in the early evening hours. The sightings seem to peak between 6:00 and 6:40 PM. Although I’ve been going out to stargaze around 9:00 PM lately, I haven’t seen much during that time. I’ve been observing almost every night when the weather permits, and I’ve started keeping a log of my sightings. I’ve attached a low-quality video I captured on 2/5, and I’m curious to hear others’ thoughts. While most of these objects appear to be satellites, some display unusual behavior that makes me question their classification.
Monday, 2/3: Approximately 15 sightings in a 20-minute window between 6:00 and 7:00 PM.
Predominantly “satellite orbs”—solid white lights moving steadily, resembling the trajectory and consistency of satellites. Most traveled in straight paths, although a few exhibited slight meandering.
Anomalies: One orb vanished abruptly in clear skies, with no clouds to obstruct it.
Tuesday, 2/4: 5 sightings between 6:00 and 7:00 PM.
Similar to the previous night’s observations, nothing particularly anomalous aside from the large number coming from various directions.
Wednesday, 2/5: 13 sightings between 6:20 and 7:00 PM.
Mostly “satellite orbs.”
Anomalies:
– One orb disappeared mid-sky without any cloud cover and was accompanied by 1 or 2 brief flashes of light to the left.
– Another orb, which was only visible for a few seconds, exhibited a strobing effect, alternating in brightness. It passed behind some branches, causing me to lose sight of it.
– An orb intersecting with a plane demonstrated that it was below the plane, suggesting it was not a satellite.
8:35 PM: Tried to observe again but only saw one shooting star.
Friday, 2/7: 8 “satellite orbs” spotted between 6:38 and 7:00 PM.
Anomalies: Similar to past sightings, another orb vanished in clear sky, though a small cloud might have been present, it didn’t reappear along its trajectory.
Monday, 2/10: 7 “satellite orbs” observed between 5:58 and 6:21 PM.
Feel free to share your perspectives or insights!
It sounds like you’ve had quite an intriguing few nights of stargazing! The volume of sightings and the anomalies you’ve noted certainly warrant some discussion.
Given the time of year and your location in Southeast Massachusetts, it’s possible you are indeed seeing a mix of satellites and perhaps even some other atmospheric phenomena. For instance, many satellites, including those from GPS networks or Starlink, are often visible as bright, steady “orbs” moving across the night sky. Their trajectories can appear very linear and consistent, which aligns with your observations.
However, the atypical behavior you described—like abrupt disappearing orbs and strobing lights—does raise some interesting questions. Such anomalies could indeed suggest something beyond standard satellite activity. Environmental factors like atmospheric refraction or even local light pollution could play a role in the visibility and perceived behavior of these objects.
You might also want to consider the influence of weather patterns during this time. Sometimes, unexpected weather phenomena can create illusions or even cause objects to appear in odd ways. It may be worthwhile to cross-reference any local weather data or reports from sites like the Clear Sky Chart to see if any atmospheric conditions might explain your sightings.
If you’re looking to gather more evidence, a clearer video or even using a more sensitive camera could shed light (pun intended!) on some of the anomalies. More precise tracking of the objects’ movements might also help classify them further.
Overall, it’s great that you’re observing and documenting these events. Reporting to local astronomy groups or online forums might also yield some insights from others who might have seen similar phenomena. Keep looking up, and let us know if you gather more data!