What flew over Bristol tonight in formation. anyone?

[westcountrybloke]

Hello,

first post, not sure if this is even a pprune topic, so bear with me...

...but can anybody suggest what might have flown over Bristol tonight (Xmas day about 17.30 GMT) in formation?

I saw a single orangy-red light maybe 5kft (obviously impossible to tell) and moving apparently quicker than the usual airline fodder. I joked to nearby small child that it was Santa+Rudolf going home, and guessed it was some bizjet.

But then moments later another 3 in loose formation came over, then another couple more at least. No sound apparent (still & quiet night). Quiet bright red/orange light, not flashing.

I wondered maybe military helicopters but they seemed a bit fast and too quiet.

And I am not a nut - I totally do not believe in extra terrestrial vehicles etc. And my professional life, shall we say, leads me to be very sceptical of any ideas about super-top-secret UAVs. So I am just bemused as to what "normal" aircraft this might have been, flying over Bristol roughly W-E at Xmas day tea time.

Any ideas?

Cheers

WCB

[pipertommy]

Seen it in South Wales, north of Cardiff at roughly the same time! Very puzzled too. Single red/orange light, not a normal a/c light.
Think it maybe christmas lanterns released for some kid?

Police chase UFO over Cardiff - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2160814/Police-chase-UFO-over-Cardiff.html)

Strange Days: Cardiff UFO may have been 'glow lantern'. (http://www.strangedayz.co.uk/2008/06/cardiff-ufo-may-have-been-glow-lantern.html)

[EGTE]

Er...
Similar time to that I also saw an orange/flaming light in the sky over Exeter.
Headed east to west at fairly high speed. Thought initially it might have been a parachute flare of some sort but there was little wind and it travelled much to fast to have been wind propelled!

No sound or blinking lights so not an aircraft (as we know them anyway)! :eek:

[westcountrybloke]

Cheers guys - I'd say the flame lantern idea works for me. If they were in fact a lot lower than I initially guessed (say only a few hundred feet) then my original speed estimate would have been well over the actual speed. My S.O. said they looked like something flaming and guessed at a balloon, which I ridiculed at the time but maybe she was closer to the mark than me (and/or better eyesight...)

Thanks!

WCB

[Rainboe]

People setting off lanterns- they are great fun and fascinating for kids. You can get some great ones on ebay- very impressive and quite long duration. I think they must get up to about 1000' judging by duration and rate of climb. Once in the higher winds, they are away. Had a spectacular one that caught fire and descended rather rapidly.

I would like to think some twerp, somewhere, convinces himself that he's just seen a UFO!

[marlowe]

Same thing over Bath at 1730 as well moving east, first thought was a chinese lantern and still my only thought!

[crispey]

There was a mad panic in N.Yorks one evening last Spring when a veritable squadron of UFOs flew over Roecliffe(Near Boroughbridge)Much telephonic traffic to RAF Dishforth,Leeming.Menwith Hiil etc.

Actually they were Chinese lanterns released from Newby Hall.Very effective they are too after a few bottles of Shiraz.Even the local paper got in on the act.

[Mechta]

I used to make something similar to these Chinese lanterns from dry cleaner's bags with a wire hoop at the bottom, and a meths soaked piece of cotton wool on cross wires. Later in the Scouts we made tissue hot air balloons about 8ft tall and 5ft diameter, with a balsa frame at the base. These were heated over a Primus stove before launch and went a few hundred yards in light winds.

I was always under the impression that untethered balloons which carried a burner were frowned upon though. Can anyone confirm what the law is on them?

[Captain Airclues]

Mechta

Can anyone confirm what the law is on them

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP736.PDF

Go to page 13 and scroll down to note (1) at the bottom.

Dave

[garret877]

That is strange.
i live just outside bath and on new years night about 12.10 i to saw four orange lights moving from east to west fairly quickly and at equal distance from each other followed by another two about a minute later!! Very weird as i have never seen that many aircraft at the same time!

I dont belive in ufo's but would be interesting to find out what they were

[simfly]

Single similar light spotted by myself on xmas night driving from the inlaws to the folks, only this was just north of Aberdeen. Reddish light, moving very slowly east - west but appeared to be very high level??? At first i though it was high level traffic with landing lights on, until my brain registered it was reddish in colour....

[Union Jack]

Single similar light spotted by myself on xmas night driving from the inlaws to the folks, only this was just north of Aberdeen

.... ergo it must have been the Northern Light of Old Aberdeen!:eek:

Jack

[greggx101]

garret877 have you not read any of this thread ?

[Maverick Laddie]

Rudolph fitted with strobes DAH DAH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:ok:

[Phalconphixer]

Sky lanterns...like these (http://www.firebox.com/product/2225/Sky-Lanterns?via=ser)

Great Fun for young and old alike!