In formation/Abrupt formation change/Smaller objects shooting from larger ones/Up and out of sight.My wife and I are musicians we were returing home and were unloading our equipment. I had asked my son (age 15) and his friend to help me unload the truck. I casually glanced to look for Orion which I tend to do. I immediately noticed 6 stars that I didn't recognize. They were orangish yellow in color and they were moving. I also observed that they were in a pattern of a very thin #4. I called to my son and his friend and told them to look. I then called my wife who was 2 doors down wishing a neighbor Happy New year. The cratf appeared to be traveling in a NW direction from the SW. They were very high(could've been 100-200 miles). We all noticed that they began to turn to the SW. The turn was abrupt and they fomed another pattern similar to the Big Dipper. They continued to extend starting to form a single line and then one by one seemed to shoot straight up out of sight. I did also notice that one or two seemed to have smaller lights shooting out from them and then disappearing.