"Jose" wrote in message news:jcPIg.12150$%

Just one little addendum; coming back from Block Island there was this
bright line of lights which I couldn't identify.

Back when I was instructing, I would teach students to look for and key on
such features. Major highway intersections usually have several very bright
merc lamps on very tall standards spaced throughout the area, visible, as
you mentioned, from 50+ miles at altitude. For example, the intersection
in Canton MA where I95 branches south from Rt 128 allowed you to head
direct to OWD from 40-50 miles away, if you knew what you were looking at.