NAGS HEAD, N.C. (WNCN) – Images taken on North Carolina’s Outer Banks show red lights in the sky moving in unusual ways and the photographer is looking for an explanation.
Wes Synder took the nighttime images in late September showing the “Ocean Pursuit” shipwreck with the Milky Way moving overhead near Nags Head, a beach town on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
He was taking 10-second exposures with a second between images to reveal the Milky Way over the Outer Banks.

Snyder’s cameras were pointed west when he noticed red lights in the lower-right hand corner of the frame.
On his YouTube channel, Synder posted a timelapse video of the images asking “Please help me identify a plane that has the capabilities of this aircraft.”
“Ive caught these trails before in several other Timelpases but I have yet to figure out what kind of plane possibly has these capabilities,” he said.
The video shows “normal planes” moving across the frame throughout the video, giving some perspective to the red light’s unusual movements.
Snyder’s guess? Military aircraft.
“My guess is this is part of the bombing range in Eastern NC, but whatever they are they have some incredible maneuverability,” he said.