I stepped out on the back patio to smoke. I stood looking to the North. As a turned my head to the West, I saw a small orb pinkish red in color about the size of a golf ball moving in a straight line form North to South between my Apartment complex. It was moving at a steady rate, maybe 15-20 mph? I did not know what the object was at first because I have never seen anything like it before, although I have heard of them. It made no noise, completely silent. At the time I saw it, I ran through a quick list in my mind as to what it was I had seen. I could not come up with any logical explanation. I know it was not a glare, or reflection of any type. Its shape, size and color were very distinct. Once the object moved past me and beyond the corner of the apartment,I did not immediately look to follow it because I was still processing what I had seen. Less than a minute later I went to the corner of the apartment and looked to the South but did not see anything. The event was only about 3-5 seconds in duration.