Strange lights over the City

Mayoegian · 01-01-2010 12:45pm #1

Did any of ye see a thing in the sky last night. It was big enough and glowing red. There was no noise coming from it and it couldn't have been a helicopter or plane. It circled around three times, reaching out as far as Salthill I think. Seriously weird though, was just wondering did any of ye see it? (Was pretty low in the sky aswell).

LowOdour · 01-01-2010 1:43pm

Mayoegian wrote: »

Did any of ye see a thing in the sky last night. It was big enough and glowing red. There was no noise coming from it and it couldn't have been a helicopter or plane. It circled around three times, reaching out as far as Salthill I think. Seriously weird though, was just wondering did any of ye see it? (Was pretty low in the sky aswell).

Any chance it was this guy...maybe he lost his way

vulcan57 · 01-01-2010 1:43pm

Mayoegian wrote: »

Did any of ye see a thing in the sky last night. It was big enough and glowing red. There was no noise coming from it and it couldn't have been a helicopter or plane. It circled around three times, reaching out as far as Salthill I think. Seriously weird though, was just wondering did any of ye see it? (Was pretty low in the sky aswell).

Yep, I saw it as well. It seemed to be up pretty high to me, and like you say, there was no noise even though the night was very calm and clear. I was looking south and it was coming from east to west high in the sky over the city at almost bang on 12 midnight, I know the time because I had gone out side to wish the neighbors a happy new year, as you do. It seemed to have a white flashing light and a red continuous light. I thought this strange as, if it was travelling from my left to right, the right wing nav light would have been green, but there was no sign of any green. If the red light light was on the belly of the aircraft it should have been flashing. I saw it again about half an hour later coming back over the city again. I suppose it could have been one of those chinese lanterns that had got very high up but I have seen them before and it didn't look like one of those and they don't travel that fast particularly as there was hardly any wind last night. Strange sighting! Think I might post this on the Aviation page if it hasn't already been done.

sold · 01-01-2010 1:45pm

Mayoegian wrote: »

Did any of ye see a thing in the sky last night. It was big enough and glowing red. There was no noise coming from it and it couldn't have been a helicopter or plane. It circled around three times, reaching out as far as Salthill I think. Seriously weird though, was just wondering did any of ye see it? (Was pretty low in the sky aswell).

Guys, It was a met eireann weather ballon.

Mayoegian · 01-01-2010 1:49pm

sold wrote: »

Guys, It was a met eireann weather ballon.

Do they glow bright red?

vulcan57 · 01-01-2010 1:50pm

sold wrote: »

Guys, It was a met eireann weather ballon.

Are these weather ballons some new fangled way that the met office find out if it is going to snow tomorrow?:D

I know that this subject is going to attract all sorts of comedians, but it was definitely there and I reckon there is a simple explanation, but don't know what that is at the moment.

Mr Benevolent · 01-01-2010 1:52pm

Do they glow bright red?

No they don't, but a Chinese lantern does. Google it, case closed.

Mayoegian · 01-01-2010 1:55pm

Confab wrote: »

No they don't, but a Chinese lantern does. Google it, case closed.

Hang on, who gives you the authority to close this case?!lol
You should make a New Year's resolution to cheer up.

A Chinese lantern is small, this thing was big, I'd say bigger then a helicopter. It circled around three times in the same path each time.

aphex™ · 01-01-2010 1:57pm

I saw exact same thing in Dublin moving west.

I don't think a chinese lantern would last that long in the snow, but it had just stopped at the time.

Chris_533976 · 01-01-2010 2:02pm

New Years flare maybe?

vulcan57 · 01-01-2010 2:02pm

Confab wrote: »

No they don't, but a Chinese lantern does. Google it, case closed.

As I said in my post it might have been one of these Chinese lanterns, but there was barely any wind last night and it covered, maybe, 120 degrees of vision in about 3-4 mins. case not closed! My first thought was that it was a helicopter.

Mayoegian · 01-01-2010 2:04pm

Chris_533976 wrote: »

New Years flare maybe?

No, couldn't have been because it was travelling at a constant speed in the same path for about half an hour.

argosy2006 · 01-01-2010 2:13pm

saw two in kilkenny too,, they catch your eye in the sky but yea must be chinese lattern,
was a perfect still night last night, moon was like a flash lite! so perfect conditions to see these latterns,
where can you buy them/?

Mayoegian · 01-01-2010 2:16pm

argosy2006 wrote: »

saw two in kilkenny too,, they catch your eye in the sky but yea must be chinese lattern,
was a perfect still night last night, moon was like a flash lite! so perfect conditions to see these latterns,
where can you buy them/?

I really don't believe it was a lantern as it travelled in the same direction, circling a large area three times and had a continuous red glow. I was going quite fast even though there was no wind.

argosy2006 · 01-01-2010 2:23pm

Mayoegian wrote: »

I really don't believe it was a lantern as it travelled in the same direction, circling a large area three times and had a continuous red glow. I was going quite fast even though there was no wind.

i was driving while i noticed them in sky, glowing red really high in sky,,all at around 12.25 last night,,lol they had 25 mins to get up that high in sky, must have been released at 12 ie new year,
of course they will circle its wind current,
what time did u see them

frodos63 · 01-01-2010 2:26pm

Confab wrote: »

No they don't, but a Chinese lantern does. Google it, case closed.

Not Chinese lanterns as I saw the lights in Dundalk about 10 after midnight. There was 4 lights grouped closely together and heading in an south south west direction and moving quickly. They were also high in the sky. There was someone on the local radio this morning who also seen them but about 5 minutes later 2 more crossed the sky

chriz · 01-01-2010 2:37pm

It happened at Inverin in galway as well. I thought it was fireworks at first but it stayed in the sky for a few minutes it didnt move but it was so bright glowing red. I seen it just after midnight then it just went. What the hell was that Ive never seen anything that bright from so far away. :eek:

Mayoegian · 01-01-2010 2:39pm

argosy2006 wrote: »

i was driving while i noticed them in sky, glowing red really high in sky,,all at around 12.25 last night,,lol they had 25 mins to get up that high in sky, must have been released at 12 ie new year,
of course they will circle its wind current,
what time did u see them

Yeah but circle in the same path at a fast speed over a large area and the size of it was bigger than a helicopter!

I saw it from about midnight to half past.

Mayoegian · 01-01-2010 2:41pm

chriz wrote: »

It happened at Inverin in galway as well. I thought it was fireworks at first but it stayed in the sky for a few minutes it didnt move but it was so bright glowing red. I seen it just after midnight then it just went. What the hell was that Ive never seen anything that bright from so far away. :eek:

It was weird! I thought it was a creepy star at first as it looked so far away and then five minutes later I looked over my house and it was there! :eek:

Then it came three times.

Could have been a UFO?! lol.

chriz · 01-01-2010 2:47pm

Mayoegian wrote: »

It was weird! I thought it was a creepy star at first as it looked so far away and then five minutes later I looked over my house and it was there! :eek:

Then it came three times.

Could have been a UFO?! lol.

Whatever it was i want a few to freak people out.:D

Shoota · 01-01-2010 2:53pm

Yeah I saw a red object in the sky, couldnt tell you what direction it was moving as i was in a car but I thought it was a star myself or possibly a satellite

Was between Laois and Kilkdare at the time.....

m83 · 01-01-2010 2:54pm

I saw a red object in the sky in Ennis. Quite low. I thought it was a firework but it never moved.

Twas probably nothing.

ronnie3585 · 01-01-2010 2:58pm

I saw it too over Galway city. Moving east to west, looked very high up.

Steyr · 01-01-2010 3:13pm

Chinese Lantern, flew over a cowd of us outside the Bierhaus last night around 12:20 could see it flickering, the amount of people that shouted Aliens was priceless:p

iainmacl · 01-01-2010 3:24pm

Yes and it amazes me to hear folk talk about 'size' and distance of objects in the sky as if somehow they have a built in radar system...you can't work out the size without some knowledge of the distance and appropriate scale...Didn't Ted explain all this to Dougal??

frodos63 · 01-01-2010 3:32pm

iainmacl wrote: »

Didn't Ted explain all this to Dougal??

LOL:D:D:D

But does not explain why it was seen in Galway and Dundalk which as you know is on each side of the country. That makes the lantens some size even using father ted

hacktavist · 01-01-2010 4:14pm

frodos63 wrote: »

LOL:D:D:D

But does not explain why it was seen in Galway and Dundalk which as you know is on each side of the country. That makes the lantens some size even using father ted

more than one.

frodos63 · 01-01-2010 4:28pm

frodos63 wrote: »

Not Chinese lanterns as I saw the lights in Dundalk about 10 after midnight. There was 4 lights grouped closely together and heading in an south south west direction and moving quickly. They were also high in the sky. There was someone on the local radio this morning who also seen them but about 5 minutes later 2 more crossed the sky

see my original post above

LadyMayBelle · 01-01-2010 4:54pm

Must have been my chinese lanterns..

TristanPeter · 01-01-2010 5:03pm

I saw it too over Galway City. Caught my attention because of it's trajectory. It was around 12 last night. I went out to look at the fireworks and I noticed that it seemed to be gaining altitude whilst moving fairly lively from north to south (think that's correct). Going from say Tirellan towards the city. Yeah, no noise at all...but then again it could have been too far away to hear. I definitely don't think it was a weather baloon. It was moving at a very consistent speed, and upwards diagonally.

Steyr · 01-01-2010 6:35pm

And Finally...

From a UK Aviation Site:

Orange Lights over the Midlands
Quote:Jason32
Last night, just after midnight, me and my partner observed over 20 bright orange lights in the sky over the Walsall/Wolverhampton area going East to West, at various heights but all the same speed, spaced out, almost running along the Lichfield Radar Corridor but certainly not at the altitude any military aircraft use in the corridor. The ones which was closest and passed over our home had zero sound, just a pure single orange bright light.

Anyone else see any?

Having a quick search online, there have been other witnesses but with no explanations though.

Quote:Mutley
I saw exactly the same experience over the Baddesley Ensor / Atherstone area, was around 1245ish i reckon

Quote:Beefsteak
Nothing more sinister than Chinese Lanterns I'm afraid. We had about 50 go over here!!!

Quote:busman
That explains things! we have quite a few over south wales

Nothing sinister im sorry to say:o I wonder do the people who launch them realise they are a hazard and have been the bane of the UK Coast Guard:

http://www.whitehallpages.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=229350

"The public are being urged to inform the Coastguard if using the lanterns near the coast. They are also being asked to refrain from using them near airports, heath land or other areas likely to catch fire, and always avoid releasing them in built up residential areas.

A recent incident between Bexhill and Pevensey in East Sussex led the Dover Coastguard to be called out to a sighting reported as a "red flare" sent up by a boat in distress. A Coastguard Rescue Team was sent to investigate the incident, where it turned out that a countless number of these lanterns had been released.

Portland Watch Manager Ros Evans said it was easy for the public to mistake the lanterns for a distress flare. She said:

"When we receive a report of a red flare being deployed we have to investigate.We don't want to be killjoys, but if someone is thinking of releasing a Chinese lantern near the coast, they should let us know first. It will save us an awful lot of trouble. Rescue workers have to drop everything and go to pick up a Coastguard vehicle, and incidents such as this are taking up valuable resources

“The biggest worry is that genuine distress flares might get ignored, unreported, and uninvestigated.”

Strange lights over the City

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