2 Stationary glowing objects in space with a beam forming, glowing bright, then dimming and vanishing over 2 minutes

Camping on Alvord Desert playa. Full moon, clear sky, slight breeze, temps in the upper 60's. Approximately 9:20 pm my friend said " what the hell is that?" I looked up where he was pointing to the NW and there was a brightly glowing round object, visually much larger and brighter than Venus about 45 degrees up in the night sky. It was emitting a line or beam of light or plasma. The line was about 3 inches long measured between fingers at arm's length. The beam was directed SW and about 10 degrees upwards from the object. It grew brighter and then at the end of the beam another circular object started glowing brighter. After 10 seconds the whole thing looked like a brightly glowing, shimmering white barbell in space. It looked more like plasma or energy than a light or light beam.
There was a halo of less brightness around where the beam was emitting, suggesting a circular structured object with the beam enitting from anterior angle from our perspective. After glowing very bright for about 30 seconds, it gradually grew dimmer and faded away over about 10 seconds This event happened in space. Visual references of the Steens Mnts below it, stars and observations of aircraft at night, we estimate this event was outer earth orbit or beyond that.
It was one of the strangest things either of us have ever seen. Occupied our thoughts and conversation since. Some event of significance extraterrestrial origin and/or occurance.