Encinitas Sightings

San Clemente Island lies about 60 or so miles directly west, perhaps a few degrees south. If that street in the top picture was built along the actual east-west axis, then those lights are appearing exactly over the top of where I would expect San Clemente Island to be located. Lots of military activity goes on there, such as practice shelling by naval gunfire. I'm not sure if aircraft bomb it anymore. My guess then is that this is some kind of nighttime illumination exercise, perhaps in support of shelling or other type of mission.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Duke
San Clemente Island lies about 60 or so miles directly west, perhaps a few degrees south. If that street in the top picture was built along the actual east-west axis, then those lights are appearing exactly over the top of where I would expect San Clemente Island to be located. Lots of military activity goes on there, such as practice shelling by naval gunfire. I'm not sure if aircraft bomb it anymore. My guess then is that this is some kind of nighttime illumination exercise, perhaps in support of shelling or other type of mission.

Yeah could be flares, unless you believe the lights were seen over 400 miles north in Sacramento. I'm skeptical since I checked newspapers in Bakersfield, Fresno, and Sacramento without finding any mention of the lights. Also checked the NUFORC database, but unfortunately it hasn't been updated six weeks.