Topic ID 4976
We saw two really bright lights above Hertford, County Hall side, on Christmas night. They hovered for 20 seconds and then shot out into the distance. Don't suppose anyone else saw them about 9pm did they?
Reply ID 70541
p.s they were orange if that makes a difference
Reply ID 70542
1. Where were you? 2. In what direction were the lights, relative to you? 3. At what angle were they? 4. How long did they take to disappear from view? 5. Did you witness them appearing, or were they already there when you noticed them? 6. How far apart were they? 7. Did they behave identically? 8. In what direction did they "shoot off"? 9. How much Christmas pudding had you eaten?
Reply ID 70547
Sure it wasn't Rudolfs nose :p
Reply ID 70548
I saw some bright lights last night. It was 10 o'clock they were flying in a east to west direction - there were quite a few of them they were bright (very) white lights, made no noise and looked extremely high up - or were really tiny. Any offers?
Reply ID 70550
We were selling 'Sky Lanterns' in our shop just before Xmas..
Reply ID 70554
quote:I'm quite familiar with lanterns (presumably the Chinese type ones?) and normally I'd suspect that the lights that I saw were of that type but these definitely weren't, they were much brighter and of a very white light. I think they were also "flying" in a different direction to the prevailing wind, judging by cloud movement.
Originally posted by Arty
We were selling 'Sky Lanterns' in our shop just before Xmas..
Reply ID 70556
Curiously (or spookily) since replying to this post earlier this morning, I experienced something similar. I was walking Arty Dog in the Sele Woods and spotted two intermitent parallel bright lights (very) high above in the direction of WGC. Anyone who knows me will confirm my usual cynical and sceptical attitudes - but I certainly can't work out what this was...not two aircraft (too close and hovering) and they appeared to be too high for helicopters. No sound, either, although they were a long way away. Interesting. ps only one glass of red last night (before someone asks)...
Reply ID 70559
Is anybody else getting a feeling of deja vu?
Reply ID 70568
ok, so just had a look at Chinese lanterns on a web site and we have concluded that it was them that spooken us! never seen anything like this before so all 7 of us were convinced we had seen UFO's. Promise we were not drunk and thanks for your help guys!
Reply ID 70570
quote:They were UFOs until you identified what they were.
Originally posted by VC1
ok, so just had a look at Chinese lanterns on a web site and we have concluded that it was them that spooken us! never seen anything like this before so all 7 of us were convinced we had seen UFO's. Promise we were not drunk and thanks for your help guys!
Reply ID 70574
VC1..Just in case you thought you was seeing things.. http://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/ufo_spotted_in_welwyn_on_christmas_day_1_34943
Reply ID 70575
quote:Sounds just like a distress flare
Originally posted by hertford born and bred
VC1..Just in case you thought you was seeing things.. http://www.whtimes.co.uk/news/ufo_spotted_in_welwyn_on_christmas_day_1_34943
Reply ID 70581
thanks Herford Born and Bred - that article was exactly the same as our experience.
Reply ID 70587
I saw something on christmas day that cannot be explained away as a chinese lantern or flare. Just after dinner I saw what appeared to be a saucer shaped object flying through the air at speed, accompanied by a deafening high pitched wail. It was very close by and I had to take evasive action. Not the first time I've experienced this phenomenon locally.
Reply ID 70588
quote:Yeah - my wife screamed and chucked crockery at me too....
Originally posted by dennismoore
I saw something on christmas day that cannot be explained away as a chinese lantern or flare. Just after dinner I saw what appeared to be a saucer shaped object flying through the air at speed, accompanied by a deafening high pitched wail. It was very close by and I had to take evasive action. Not the first time I've experienced this phenomenon locally.
Reply ID 70598
CSI Hertford---A little bit more info. http://www.hertbeat.com/newscentre/hertbeat-news/an-alien-for-christmas-733
Reply ID 70600
quote:The photo is a meteor. Myself and two other members of the forum saw a "glowing orange light hovering in the sky" a couple of evenings ago, just south of Hertford. It fizzled out after a short period. To me it looked just like a distress flare.
Originally posted by hertford born and bred
CSI Hertford---A little bit more info. http://www.hertbeat.com/newscentre/hertbeat-news/an-alien-for-christmas-733
Reply ID 70601
That photo could also be an iridium flare, certainly isn't what the article is about.
Reply ID 70645
The photo looks more like an Iridium flare than a meteor or a Chinese lantern. Iridium flares 'flare' up in the centre then fade away again, and move "with a purpose". I've seen loads of Iridium flares - there are many every morning and every evening. However, Iridium flares are not orange and meteors can be. There are also many meteors every day, of all different colours, shapes and sizes. So I've waffled and waffled, and still failed to provide a useful contribution to the discussion. Think I'll go and hide under the duvet, what with all this potential stuff threatening to crash onto my head while I sleep.
Reply ID 70650
quote:Perhaps one or two a day on average, unless you can be everyehere at once [:)]
Originally posted by SallyB
there are many every morning and every evening.
Reply ID 70653
Yes. If you change your viewing location there are probably a very large number of Iridium flares. If you want to see them badly enough, there are plenty. And not just in Hertford ;) one of the best things about them is that you don't have to move too far towards them to make them bigger!
Reply ID 70655
I'm well aware, but there are still only about one or two a day visible (potentially) from any one location per day [:)] UK weather prevents me from getting a decent photo of one [:(]
Reply ID 70664
You've got me thinking about these Iridium flares now, steven. Do they really exist? And how many possible combinations of them are possible per day? Does it all go a bit quantum physics from here? shunt?
Reply ID 70665
quote:Don't start me off. It'll turn into a confused version of the Christmas Lectures, complete with double slit experiments.[:o)] Hope the probability goes in favour of the missing cat, by the way.[:)]
Originally posted by SallyB
You've got me thinking about these Iridium flares now, steven. Do they really exist? And how many possible combinations of them are possible per day? Does it all go a bit quantum physics from here? shunt?
Reply ID 70670
shunt, thought you'd be into double-slits and Quantum stuff. You always seem to have the answers, anyway! Infinite Iridium flares make sense to me - though you may appreciate it too. Let me know if you arrive at any conclusions
Reply ID 70671
No sign of Paul's midsing cat yet - keeping fingers crossed and Iridium flares shining.
Reply ID 70673
Iridium flares depend entirely on Iridium satellites. The 'flare' is the reflection off of their antenna which is entirely predictable. That's it [:)] Edited to add, I use a combination of heavens-above.com and Starry Night Pro 6 for observations (of flares and other things). There is a lot of activity above one's head. I have some good photos (star-trail like I mean) of the ISS over Hertford using both of the above. It's quite rare to see an Iridium flare with one's own eyes unless you're looking for it, since they only last a fraction of a second and you have to be looking in the right direction. As for meteorites, they occur at all times of year, not just during showers. Best one I've ever seen was over Mount Cook in NZ in mid Jan. A huge fireball (literally) that lit up the entire landscape, I could even hear it. It devastates me that my camera was on long exposure at the time but was pointing in the wrong direction [:(]
Reply ID 70689
"Iridium flares depend entirely on Iridium satellites. The 'flare' is the reflection off of their antenna which is entirely predictable. That's it [:)]" No, that's not it. shunt gets it. It's too complex to explain if you don't get it by now, and it's not a Hertford-specific issue anyroad [:D] Fireballs are fab, aren't they? Glad you saw a good one in NZ!
Reply ID 70692
Eh? It is _entirely_ a reflection off of the solar panels/antennae of an Iridium commnications satellite, that is it.
Reply ID 70714
<Calls in Herr Schroedinger>
Reply ID 70732
quote:Actually, this is something I haven't researched at all. I assumed the pretty lights were caused by Captain Slog, ejecting an unruly space hippo from the cargo hold.
Originally posted by SallyB
"Iridium flares depend entirely on Iridium satellites. The 'flare' is the reflection off of their antenna which is entirely predictable. That's it [:)]" No, that's not it. shunt gets it. It's too complex to explain if you don't get it by now, and it's not a Hertford-specific issue anyroad [:D] Fireballs are fab, aren't they? Glad you saw a good one in NZ!
Reply ID 70761
OMG!! Captain Slog is under strict instruction *not* to eject unruly space hippos from the cargo hold. But if you have evidence that he's not been obeying orders, we may be able to use it against him. I believe that on his last sortie, Captain Slog had a spy on board as he's under immense pressure from hippos who cannot behave in the air - they just don't take aviation seriously enough! I'll have a word with the formation lead. They like having spies on board - keeps unruly passengers under control.
Reply ID 70763
What have I got to do with this young lady, just because you couldn't get to work? If I am involved with hippos who cannot behave in the air over Hertford, I will need to refer to my wave mechanics manual. Rumour has it that more bright lights are expected over the town tonight.
Reply ID 70764
quote:Intructions for cheery automotive technicians?
Originally posted by James007
What have I got to do with this young lady, just because you couldn't get to work? If I am involved with hippos who cannot behave in the air over Hertford, I will need to refer to my wave mechanics manual. Rumour has it that more bright lights are expected over the town tonight.
Reply ID 70765
Intructions? Do mechanics only wave when in trucks? Why not cars?
Reply ID 70768
I think we are all getting a bit bored with being at home.
Reply ID 70769
Ahem
Reply ID 70773
Sorry, Admin. Will calm down. SallyB will wind down her four engines...