I was having a smoke and taking the trash out. Observed a pale red light ascend from the behind the trees behind garages of the complex (a couple miles beyond my position) it did not ascend in straight path but like it was subject to winds (ascended like a model rocket) and then started to arc over me (NE to SW) and it appeared to level out 300 to 500 feet and fly a generally straight line. As it passed over me the light appeared to be only on the front of the object and it looked spherical or lozenge shaped. The con trail had disappeared after reaching cruising altitude. At first I thought it was kind of memorial candle on a balloon type of thing. But as it got closer it was to big and with the faint black con trail I realised it wasn't. I lost the black craft momentarily a couple of times against the dusk sky until it was far enough sw and couldn't track it.