Three people were driving on highway north of Los Angeles near coast, when they observed a large, bright, orange light. No object was visible in the ball of light. It changed size and shape as it gained altitude and moved to the west. It left a long tail of illuminated substance in the sky. The tail extended out to the side of the object at 75 or 80 degrees, and it glowed. Swath of light was estimated to be 1/4 or 1/2 mile wide, based on an estimated distance from the observers.