Light over Liverpool, NY

The report, as filed

Liverpool, New York 13090 Friday January 15, 2016 Approximately 7:15 pm Traveling by car on Longbranch Road north towards Rt. 57 First sighted a bright, round red/orange light moving slowly above the tree tops from the right hand side of the road. After a few seconds observed it was very unusual and pulled over to the right shoulder of the road. Exited vehicle and walked 15 to 20 steps forward, towards the object. Watched it as it passed over the road ahead of me, and then slowly passed over Longbranch Elementary School (ahead on the left side of road). Object moved towards the North West in a straight line, at uniform elevation, until it faded from view. There was no sound from the object. As it got closer there seemed to be a corona effect around the center of the light. The light seemed to vary within the confines of the corona (slight flickering). At two points (first before it crossed Longbranch Road, and before I exited the car) it seemed there was something dripping from beneath the object, and the dripping material was brightly illuminated, like a small flame. Observed that again while standi! ng on shoulder of road outside the car, just after it crossed above the road. There was a light wind coming from the East (checked the National Weather Service afterwards). The object was not a plane, not a helicopter, not a balloon, not a flare, not a chinese lantern. Had it been a flare, I would have seen the parachute, it would have descended in altitude, and the quality of the light would have been completely different (I’ve seen flares before and know what they look like). I do not know what the light object was, and have never seen anything remotely like it before. I drove further up Longbranch Road, looking to the left side trying to see the object. The view was obstructed by buildings and trees. Arriving at my destination, Rite Aid store on corner of Rt. 57 and Longbranch Rd, I looked back in the direction of original sighting and saw the light in the distance, perhaps a mile away. It was much fainter at that distance. It moved approximately to the west, then doubled back 180 degrees opposite direction for about one second, then reversed to opposite direction again continuing beyond the point in the sky where it first changed direction. I went a little further and blinked out of sight. Then it blinked back in sight, but further to the west. It continued on that trajectory until it faded from view. I did not see it on the return trip back home. I do not drink. I don't take recreational drugs. I know what conventional aircraft look light and their flight characteristics; both jet and light aircraft. This wasn't anything conventional, and nothing I've experienced before.

Held as-reported from National UFO Reporting Center (record NUFORC #125343). Witness text is preserved verbatim, including its spelling; nothing is edited beyond formatting.