while scanning the stars,I was drawn to a perfect circle of stars or lights high in the sky. while exclaiming to my friend that this formation or piece of a constellation was unusual and that I couldn't recall ever seeing something like this in the sky before, the circle of lights started to rotate and then all took off in a line at a very high rate of speed in an almost staight up direction.

I could not distinguish the shape, as the six appeared to be slightly larger and brighter than the surrounding stars I was observing with my eye.The night was clear and the sky was full of stars.The circular formation looked out of place in the sky and drew my attention.Just as I managed to point the circle of lights to my friend, the circle started to rotate and all the lights took off in a line almost straight up and out. After seeing these lights poised in this perfect circle ,the rotation and the rate of acceleration,I am sure they were not a fixed wing or helo.I am retired from the Navy where I worked in aviation .