Unusual “Satellites” Over Hawaii
Date/Time: November 1997, around 9 PM
Location: Kihei, Maui, Hawai’i
Conditions: Clear Skies
I had another sighting, in addition to the black triangle I witnessed in ’04, while living in Maui back in 1997. Almost every night, after work, my friends and I would relax on bamboo mats and gaze at the night sky. At that time, Halley’s Comet was visible on the western horizon, creating a stunning backdrop against Hawaii’s clear skies. While we were enjoying the view and looking out for satellites, we spotted three lights fairly close to one another. I pointed them out to my friends, and they quickly spotted them as well.
The lights were moving at the typical “satellite speed,” but it’s pretty rare to see three of them clustered together like that—especially back in the days before Starlink. Suddenly, all three of us exclaimed, “What the heck?!” simultaneously as they all made a right-angle turn together and headed off in a new direction. It was surreal! Just moments before, we had seen a satellite move smoothly across the horizon, so we knew what to look for. But these three changed course right in front of us, moving across the horizon until they disappeared from view.
I’m curious if anyone else from Hawaii on this subreddit has ever seen something similar. The night skies are so clear that you can see everything…
That sounds like a fascinating experience! Watching the night sky in such a clear location must have been amazing, especially with Hale-Bopp visible at the time. The sighting of those three objects changing direction in unison is pretty uncanny, especially considering the timing and context before Starlink launched. It definitely challenges our understanding of what satellites typically do.
I haven’t personally seen anything like that, but it seems like your description aligns with experiences some other people have had with unidentified aerial phenomena. It’s always interesting to hear about unusual sightings, especially in a place with such beautiful, unobstructed views of the sky. Have you or your friends discussed it since then? It would be interesting to know if any of you have considered different explanations or if it’s something that still feels mysterious after all these years!