Night Flight

The next time you see a brightly lit spheroid tracing an arc across the night sky, take a moment before calling agents Mulder and Scully. Chances are it won't be a UFO or a low-flying satellite. Instead, it might be the coolest innovation in ball technology since Fred MacMurray invented Flubber.

Twilight Lighted Basketballs and Footballs are illuminated from the inside by light-emitting diodes (LED), which are impervious to vibrations and to the varying weather conditions to which most balls are subjected. Made by Huffy Sports, of Sussex, Wis., the balls are translucent from the bladder out, which makes them a lighter shade of orange than traditionally colored balls. You turn them on by inserting a standard inflating needle in the lighting-unit cap; they turn off automatically after five minutes of inactivity. Each ball runs on three three-volt batteries and costs $24.99. For more information call Huffy at 800-558-5234 or go to www.huffysports.com.