Yellow illuminated cylinder in eastern Saskatchewan -- 8/1973

In August of 1973 I was traveling with a group of people on a missions trip in eastern Saskatchewan.  We were traveling west toward Regina, probably on Canada 1.  (Reason for vagueness noted below.) It was at night -- very dark.  I saw an illuminated cylindrical-shaped object -- the illumination was yellow in color.  There was a red light -- like a cherry -- but I forget if it was on top or on the bottom.  There seemed to be some rotation. The object was north of the highway and paralleled us for several minutes.  It was at a distance.  I forget how it disappeared.  There is no recollection of any missing time or any thing like that. I was in high school at the time.  I did not think I was seeing a UFO at the time.  It was August 1973, and I thought I was seeing Skylab.  (I couldn't explain why Skylab would seem to be paralleling our course, but I thought it might be an effect of the northern atmosphere.)  I no longer think this is the case -- I now doubt such details on Skylab would not be visible from the ground -- and I am certain I was not seeing northern lights.  I suppose it could have been an airport control tower at some distance, but only someone living in the area could tell me that. My recollection is a bit hazy on some details because I was in high school at the time and made not attempt to record any details because, as I mentioned, I did not think it significant at the time.  There were several of us traveling together in a van -- I know a few of us in the back discussed it while it was present in the sky, but I don't know how many people actually saw it.  I have since reconsidered my point of view and since the sighting was so vivid think it is worthing noting in your historical database.  For no reason other than curiosity would be interested in knowing if anyone else had a similar observation at that time and place; however, given how long ago this sighting was I doubt if I can supply any additional information.