Did I See A Ufo Last Night?

[rolf]

Ever seen a UFO? I saw one last night.

Gazing at the clear night sky while smoking a joint (no, they do NOT make you hallucinate), I often see twinking stars and passing planes. The planes always blink, I know at least two lights flashing are compulsory right?

I see an object of similar speed to a plane flying overhead and going in a straight line. A bright white light BUT:

- light is not flashing

- light is intensely bright, it shimmers in 6 points, I think this is a feature of regular optics, like when you look at the roadside lights on a motorway and squint.

- light shimmers a larger diameter than normal.

Any ideas what this could be? Surely even military planes must keep their lights switched on? Or is that all it was, a military plane?

[@contradevian]

Ever seen a UFO? I saw one last night.

Gazing at the clear night sky while smoking a joint (no, they do NOT make you hallucinate), I often see twinking stars and passing planes. The planes always blink, I know at least two lights flashing are compulsory right?

I see an object of similar speed to a plane flying overhead and going in a straight line. A bright white light BUT:

- light is not flashing

- light is intensely bright, it shimmers in 6 points, I think this is a feature of regular optics, like when you look at the roadside lights on a motorway and squint.

- light shimmers a larger diameter than normal.

Any ideas what this could be? Surely even military planes must keep their lights switched on? Or is that all it was, a military plane?

A police surveilance copter in the distance, A chinese lantern? The list is endless.

[deflation]

Flashing lights on aircraft are the anti-collision lights. They have steady lights as well, and I second that it was most likely a helicopter, the lights reflecting off the rotor disc perhaps.

[Darkman]

Ever seen a UFO? I saw one last night.

Gazing at the clear night sky while smoking a joint (no, they do NOT make you hallucinate), I often see twinking stars and passing planes. The planes always blink, I know at least two lights flashing are compulsory right?

I see an object of similar speed to a plane flying overhead and going in a straight line. A bright white light BUT:

- light is not flashing

- light is intensely bright, it shimmers in 6 points, I think this is a feature of regular optics, like when you look at the roadside lights on a motorway and squint.

- light shimmers a larger diameter than normal.

Any ideas what this could be? Surely even military planes must keep their lights switched on? Or is that all it was, a military plane?

Step away from the bong

[Guest anorthosite]

Most lights I see in the sky at night are UFO.

They're flying, they're objects and I haven't identified them. I figure they're planes.

[Rain'ard]

Duplicate post silly me.

[Rain'ard]

Ever seen a UFO? I saw one last night.

Gazing at the clear night sky while smoking a joint (no, they do NOT make you hallucinate), I often see twinking stars and passing planes. The planes always blink, I know at least two lights flashing are compulsory right?

I see an object of similar speed to a plane flying overhead and going in a straight line. A bright white light BUT:

- light is not flashing

- light is intensely bright, it shimmers in 6 points, I think this is a feature of regular optics, like when you look at the roadside lights on a motorway and squint.

- light shimmers a larger diameter than normal.

Any ideas what this could be? Surely even military planes must keep their lights switched on? Or is that all it was, a military plane?

I bet you called the light on the Port lifting device attached to the fusilage a left wing B*****

[Olebrum]

The International Space Station most likely.

Check http://www.heavens-above.com for info on when you can see the next pass where you live.

[ollk]

The ISS passed at 10-40 last night we have watched it a few times this week and it is very impressive - even pierces thin clouds when bright

Look for overmanchester / overlondon on twitter for constant updates...

Also satellites are clearly visible at least every 10 minutes for a couple hours after sunset and before sunrise as long as the sky is clear...

[Frank Hovis]

I saw a bit of a meteor drift down into my garden during one of the regular meteor showers a coupel of years back.

It was glowing bright green but the fact it drifted down, fairly quickly but still a drift, showed there wasn't much of it and I couldn't find anything in the dark.

Ok, it's not very exciting but it was better than telly. I do wonder what would have been made of it in pre-scientific times.

[Guest anorthosite]

I saw a bit of a meteor drift down into my garden during one of the regular meteor showers a coupel of years back.

It was glowing bright green but the fact it drifted down, fairly quickly but still a drift, showed there wasn't much of it and I couldn't find anything in the dark.

Ok, it's not very exciting but it was better than telly. I do wonder what would have been made of it in pre-scientific times.

Meteors don't survive the trip through the atmosphere, and meteorites are usually dark by the time they reach 30km above the ground. The poor heat conductivity of rock means that they don't retain any heat, in fact many meteorites have been observed to be cold and covered with frost when they hit the ground.

I don't know what you saw, but it wasn't a meteor.

[Frank Hovis]

Meteors don't survive the trip through the atmosphere, and meteorites are usually dark by the time they reach 30km above the ground. The poor heat conductivity of rock means that they don't retain any heat, in fact many meteorites have been observed to be cold and covered with frost when they hit the ground.

I don't know what you saw, but it wasn't a meteor.

http://snookspot.blogspot.com/2007/07/on-glowing-green-orbs.html

Suggests they can, maybe a break-up of a bigger chunk. There weren't any fireworks which would have been my first thought otherwise.

[Limpet]

I saw a bit of a meteor drift down into my garden during one of the regular meteor showers a coupel of years back.

It was glowing bright green but the fact it drifted down, fairly quickly but still a drift, showed there wasn't much of it and I couldn't find anything in the dark.

Ok, it's not very exciting but it was better than telly. I do wonder what would have been made of it in pre-scientific times.

Kryptonite?

[Guest anorthosite]

http://snookspot.blogspot.com/2007/07/on-glowing-green-orbs.html

Suggests they can, maybe a break-up of a bigger chunk. There weren't any fireworks which would have been my first thought otherwise.

I've investigating meteorite sightings in the past to try and triangulate where they'd fall. Everyone always says it was "just above the trees" or the rooftops when it turns out from other observations it was 50km or more away. Remember, beyond about 30m or so you have no depth perception, so without a frame or reference you can't tell how close it is.

Anything from space drifting down while still glowing contradicts some basic physics.

[Frank Hovis]

I've investigating meteorite sightings in the past to try and triangulate where they'd fall. Everyone always says it was "just above the trees" or the rooftops when it turns out from other observations it was 50km or more away. Remember, beyond about 30m or so you have no depth perception, so without a frame or reference you can't tell how close it is.

Anything from space drifting down while still glowing contradicts some basic physics.

It was in my garden or my view of its fall would have been cut off much higher up by the roof of the house at the end, as it was the middle hedge cut it off so I can say which half of the garden as well. The speed it was falling (slower than something heavy) also suggests it was light and close not heavy and far away.

I suggested meteor as it was during one of the meteor showers. I don't know what it was but green-glowing stuff falling out of the sky is unusual in my part of the world.

[Guest anorthosite]

It was in my garden or my view of its fall would have been cut off much higher up by the roof of the house at the end, as it was the middle hedge cut it off so I can say which half of the garden as well. The speed it was falling (slower than something heavy) also suggests it was light and close not heavy and far away.

I suggested meteor as it was during one of the meteor showers. I don't know what it was but green-glowing stuff falling out of the sky is unusual in my part of the world.

If you had a frame of reference then we have a better idea of its properties, and as you describe them it virtually eliminates any chance of it being a meteorite.

[SHERWICK]

Ever seen a UFO? I saw one last night.

Gazing at the clear night sky while smoking a joint (no, they do NOT make you hallucinate), I often see twinking stars and passing planes. The planes always blink, I know at least two lights flashing are compulsory right?

I see an object of similar speed to a plane flying overhead and going in a straight line. A bright white light BUT:

- light is not flashing

- light is intensely bright, it shimmers in 6 points, I think this is a feature of regular optics, like when you look at the roadside lights on a motorway and squint.

- light shimmers a larger diameter than normal.

Any ideas what this could be? Surely even military planes must keep their lights switched on? Or is that all it was, a military plane?

WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!!

[SHERWICK]

Duplicate post silly me.

IT'S A SIGN...

[AteMoose]

[Guest X-QUORK]

I suggested meteor as it was during one of the meteor showers. I don't know what it was but green-glowing stuff falling out of the sky is unusual in my part of the world.

Sounds like some light material from a nearby bonfire.

[Riedquat]

Had someone point out bright colour-varying thing in the sky to me once, insisting it was a UFO. It was Sirius.

[rolf]

The International Space Station most likely.

Check http://www.heavens-above.com for info on when you can see the next pass where you live.

Thanks, I'm pretty sure that was it. The trajectory looks identical to what I saw.

Cool!

btw I've seen meteor showers before. This did not burn out within seconds. Very bright and that 6-star thingy, which I think implies the reflection.

[evictee]

Thanks, I'm pretty sure that was it. The trajectory looks identical to what I saw.

Cool!

btw I've seen meteor showers before. This did not burn out within seconds. Very bright and that 6-star thingy, which I think implies the reflection.

Looks like we're in a bit of an International Space Station flyby season at the moment. Cool! I got quite into popping out the garden to watch it sail by each night last time. Sad but true.There's two very bright flybys tonight at around 10:00 and 11:35 if anyone's interested. Get out and have a look if it's clear. http://spaceweather.com/flybys/

Glad you noticed that flickering effect Rolf, I was intrigued by that but after not finding any references at all to it online I was beginning to doubt my own eyes. I keep meaning to ask an astronomer about it but I've yet to bump into one.

[DrMartinSanchez]

One evening in February 2008, I saw 4 orange/amber spots flying over the countryside near Ashford, Kent.

I can't tell what they were nor how far from the ground they were. They didn't seem to be moving.

I was in a friend's car on the motorway at the time, so I had time to watch for a few minutes. I lost track when we exited the motorway.

[Executive Sadman]

Interesting. There seems to be a lot of 'chatter' on the David Icke forums about such sightings. You are not alone it seems.

I havent (ever) witnessed any myself, but with all the goings on (oil spills, earthquakes, sunspots, Jupiter changing) it does seem some kind of extraterrestial link has been established, enough for even eminent prodigies like Sir Stephen Hawking to issue a thinly veiled call to "hide yourself away. NOW"