A group of astronomers reported witnessing two formations of mysterious, silent lights traveling at high speed over Salford, England, on October 7, with one display vanishing instantaneously. The witnesses, members of the Salford Astronomical Society, described the events as distinct from known aircraft.
The first sighting occurred at approximately 7:54 p.m. when six orange orbs appeared in a V formation, moving southwest at an estimated speed exceeding 500 mph and at an altitude of about 500 feet. Around 25 minutes later, at 8:19 p.m., a second formation was observed: three white lights arranged in an equilateral triangle, estimated to be between 100 and 200 feet in size.
A key aspect of both encounters, according to the report submitted to the National UFO Reporting Center, was their silence. Witnesses emphasized that the lights were "very fast moving, absolutely silent" and did not resemble conventional aircraft.
Following the observations, the group reviewed flight tracking information and military schedules but found no conventional explanation for the lights. Their report noted that while aircraft were departing Manchester Airport, none appeared to be in the vicinity at the times of the sightings. The witnesses also dismissed the possibility of drones due to the lack of sound and local drone activity plans. A check of the Ministry of Defence's low-flying schedule also revealed no planned activity in the area.
The most striking moment of the second encounter involved the triangular formation abruptly disappearing. Witnesses described the lights vanishing "in the blink of an eye," an observation detailed in the report submitted on October 8 and published on October 13. The report estimates the duration of one encounter at 30 seconds but does not specify if this applies to one or both sightings.