Kiwi123

Ground pounder question if I may? ...
Daytime flight to LAX from Chicago, 45-60 minutes (approx.?) from landing, seated in 3F, off into the distance appeared 3 extremely bright & seemingly large lights coming from the valley floor (two higher ridges between them.)

The lights were as bright as acetylene torches and not static but fluctuating so didn't seem to be beacons. I've never seen anything like it and it did make me wonder, "What the heck are those?"

Over the next 15-20 minutes as the plane neared them an additional 2-3 lights appeared in the group of them tho these not as large. From 30+ thousand feet they - the bright lights - seemed almost dime-sized
so they weren't small in size, but only guessing that.

Exiting the plane, wanted to ask the pilots what they were but didn't get the chance so am asking any pilots reading if you might answer my curiosity.

Thanks any rsvp.

PS - Here are waypoints from the flight ...
Flight Plan Route Decoded ? SWA226 ? 13-Feb-2017 ? KMDW - KLAX ? FlightAware

WelcomeToBen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivanpa...Power_Facility

https://goo.gl/images/dkGdyD

Kiwi123

T/y for this.

RomeoHotel

Probably this:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivanpah_Solar_Power_Facility

rickair7777

Yes, it's the solar power plant west of Vegas. I get that question all the time. It can even shine through a thin-ish undercast.

skater3260

Roasts the feathers right off of the unfortunate birds that chase the insects near the array of mirrors, too. That place gets hot!

trip

Expensive boondoggles that now need to use natural gas to supplement, else the plant will go offline.

Aryan

Convert it to coal fired. Burn baby burn!

Airhoss

Marine Corps out doing maneuvers at 29 Stumps. Shooting illumination flares into the air most likely. I've seen it many times.

NMuir

I think you were flying over Area 51 ;-)