Orange Light Sightings-December 2009-Volume 4
Each month we receive a large number of eye witness accounts of sightings of single and multiple red and orange light formations in the sky. In many cases it is evident that the most likely explanation would be Chinese Lanterns released in the local area. Due to time constraints a point has been reached where we need to decide whether to completely disregard these types of sightings or not. As a result it has been decided to set up on trial basis this dedicated section to log those eye witness accounts which are considered to be high probability “Chinese Lantern” sightings based on the information provided.Any such sightings received through the “Submit Sighting Form” will initially be posted as a comment in this section. If at a later date supporting information comes to light suggesting the sightings may not be chinese lanterns then the eye witness account will be reposted as a sighting report under it’s county area.The “Orange Light Sightings” are published by month in Volumes of about 40 eye witness accounts.
Chinese Lanterns or UFO-You Decide!
December 30th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
Location of Sighting: Mottram
Date of Sighting: 25/12/09
Time: 9.00pm
Witness Name: Mike
Witness Statement: Did anybody else see a fireball moving very fast from side to side then drop to the floor over the farms on the hill in mottram near the quarry, it was to low to be a plane or something similar, I doubt it was a Chinese lantern too
December 30th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Location of Sighting: south Benfleet
Date of Sighting: 25 December 2009
Time: 9.15pm
Witness Name: L.P
Witness Statement: We saw 1 orange ball glowing in the sky travelling in silence and then followed by another 3 and then a further 5 at intervals of about 30 seconds apart, no sound was reported and there were aircraft in the sky at the same time but these objects were flying at a lower level than aircraft.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Location of Sighting: south shields tyne and wear
Date of Sighting: 25/12/2009
Time: 10.20pm
Witness Name: j.johnson
Witness Statement: 4 orange lights moving over costal area out to sea.After watching for about 4 mins,they dissappered one by one into clouds.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Your Name :stu goulding
Message xmas day 2009 1030pm. did anyone see the large orange glowing object rise over kingswood and gather height and head easterly direction. object was visable for around 30 to 40 seconds. moved very fast but was low flying and was totally silent. my wife,sister in law even wrote to itv news west to see if anyone else spotted this in the skys.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
Location of Sighting: Worcester
Date of Sighting: 25 december
Time: about 7-8 oclock
Witness Name: Paul Bedford
Witness Statement: Me and my girlfriend were having a walk and a cigarette after xmas dinner, we walked down to the canal in barbourne and walked across a bridge and stood there while i rolled another cigarette when over my girlfriends shoulder i saw an orange light in the sky, it was clear and hardly any clouds, it was moving slowly and getting brighter and after about 30 seconds it started to dim and dissapeared. we saw about 7 or 8 more before we started walking back home.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Location of Sighting: crowland
Date of Sighting: 26th december
Time: 16.50
Witness Name: martin turner
Witness Statement: west to east bright orange glow no flashing.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Location of Sighting: Framwellgate Moor Durham
Date of Sighting: 26th December 2009
Time: 16.48pm
Witness Name: Helen Wilcox
Witness Statement: Unbelieveable!! 16.48 pm Boxing Day, just seen a flying flaming (what i thought was a plane in trouble) object moving really fast across the top of my house, No noise and No smoke trail. By the time I got to the back door all of my family saw this bright flying flickering flames moving up over the houses and off into the sky. It became higher rather than lower it stopped briefly and drop some fire to earth. So weird as it then became higher in the sky as it just slowly disappeared into the night.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Location of Sighting: Warmsworth, Doncaster, South Yorkshire UK
Date of Sighting: 26th December 2009
Time: 16.40
Witness Name: A. Jarvis
Witness Statement: Orange light appeared above me, had the appearance of flames, light travelled in a straight line,lower in sky than a plane, no engine noise or vapour trail. Light travelled quiker than plane, no outline shape, travelling in North Eastern direction towards Doncaster town centre.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Name MR R W BARR
Message ON THE 25TH DEC AT 7.40PM.IT WAS LIKE ABALL OF ORANGE MOVING FAIRLY RAPIDLY FROM SOUTH WEST TO NORTH EAST.WE WITTNESSED THIS TWICE WITHIN 15 MIN.TYHIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE SEEN THIS ORANGE BALL.WOULD BE INTERESTED IN ANT OTHER SIGHTINGS WITHIN THIS DATE
December 30th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Location of Sighting: Gloucester
Date of Sighting: 26.12.09
Time: 19h15
Witness Name: karen smith
Witness Statement: My husband and I have just seen two orange balls in the sky travelling quite fast in a south easterly direction. At first my husband thought it was a plane on fire but then we saw a second one about 30 seconds later.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Your Name .elaine horton
Message Just seen a strange sight in the sky,one light like a football,then turning the light on and off no sound coming from it, this is over Selly Oak between the hours of 4pm to 7.30 p.m.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Location of Sighting: Barnhill, Dundee
Date of Sighting: 26th December 2009
Time: 6.35pm (ish)
Witness Name: Ms Lam
Witness Statement: Myself and a teenager saw a large round ball. It was bright orange and at first I thought it must be something which will burn up in the atmosphere, but it didn’t. We continued to watch it cross the sky, medium speed. It then slowed and continued to move (from left to right) then stopped for a little while, the light dimmed slowly at a standstill point and the light faded away into the darkness.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Location of Sighting: greenock scotland
Date of Sighting: 26 december 2009
Time: 20.45
Witness Name: anon
Witness Statement: three orange lights moving across the sky, east to west. first and second close together, third appearing a little distance behind before being obscured by snow clouds. No noise at all, similar to lights seen in same place earlier this year 2009….
December 30th, 2009 at 10:24 pm
Location of Sighting: Meir Park, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
Date of Sighting: December 25th 2009
Time: 5:30pm approx
Witness Name: Matt Jackson
Witness Statement: I went out to walk the dog with my younger while at my parents house for christmas and we saw three orange lights in the sky. They travelled across the sky with no engine noise, almost perfectly in formation and flying what looked like quite low (hard to tell though as it was dark). They then seemed to ‘go out’ one by one. Very strange!
December 30th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Location of Sighting: Llandaff – Cardiff
Date of Sighting: 25/12/09
Time: 20:30
Witness Name: S Jones & K Jones
Witness Statement: Whilst driving through Llandaff towards Whitchurch on the Main Road towards Junc 32 Roundabout we noticed a bright orange ball of flames in the sky. We parked the car and watched it and at first we naturally thought it must be a meteor. But it appeared to be moving very slowly, and at one point didn’t seem to be moving at all but then appeared to come down towards the earth. It vanished or disintegrated whilst still quite high in the sky. Possible it was a meteor but maybe something else ? Would be interested to hear if anyone else saw this and what they thought about it.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Location of Sighting: rushden northants
Date of Sighting: 26,12,2009
Time: 17:15
Witness Name: will
Witness Statement: i was washing up when 2 orange lights caught my eye coming from a south westerly direction heading north east over my house there was no noise and they were moving slowly so i got my camera and took 2 pics.just after they had passed over the house out of view another 2 came from the same direction and did the same.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Location of Sighting: Lancaster Vale Est
Date of Sighting: Dec 09
Time: 20.00
Witness Name: Mac – Stuart & Rita + others
Witness Statement: Over the last few months we have seen single orange lights stationary and moving, but a few days ago we had a mass sighting of the same orbs at least 14 rising up from the horizon and disapearing into the cloud layer traveling aproximatly east to west. We took photos of the obects but they faild to show any detail of the orbs.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Location of Sighting: big dipper on A30 camborne
Date of Sighting: 26.12.09
Time: 18.00
Witness Name: P Holmes
Witness Statement: Saw orange cube overhead about 2 thirds the size of a heliccopter
December 30th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Location of Sighting: fenham, newcastle
Date of Sighting: 25/12/2009
Time: around 9 pm
Witness Name: lou
Witness Statement: I saw a strainge red light moving across the sky from south west to north east. this could not of been a plane as i see planes all the time with living not to far from the airport. i’ve never seen anything like this light! it would get really bright and then dim again but you could always see it was a red light not like 1 off a plane or helicopter. did anyone else see this??
December 31st, 2009 at 5:21 pm
Location of Sighting: leatherhead surrey
Date of Sighting: 26th of december 2009
Time: 9.00pm
Witness Name: geraldine
Witness Statement: i saw five orange lights flasing in the sky in sequence, they apeared then disapered and the show lasted for 30 minutes-40 minutes.
December 31st, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Your Name paul hallas
Message spoting of 2 orange balls in sky over brombough with one followed me while i was driving along the road also so my wife seen then 2
December 31st, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Location of Sighting: leatherhead
Date of Sighting: 26/12/09
Time: 22:35
Witness Name: kerry
Witness Statement: at approx 1035 this evening, i went outside to have a fag, and i noticed a very bright orange ball light ova my house, as i moved round to my garden there were 6 altogether moving in a circle and then went straight and made no noise at all
December 31st, 2009 at 5:25 pm
Location of Sighting: wellingborough
Date of Sighting: 24th december 2009
Time: 2100 – 2130
Witness Name: shaun
Witness Statement: Whilst parking my car I saw a bright orange light in the sky, quite low. The light arced around quite slowly then carried on in a straight line. It was completely silent, the light itself was fairly small looking. I have considered it being a lantern but due to the way it moved in the sky I believe this was something else,
December 31st, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Location of Sighting: Merstham
Date of Sighting: 26-12-2009
Time: 19:45
Witness Name: Steve
Witness Statement: I was driving through Merstham and spotted a yellow/ orange light in the sky. This light was unusual, as this area is near Gatwick, it had no aviation lights flashing. I continued on my journey, travelling up Shepherds hill. when I arrived at the top, I spotted it again. it was travelling north towards London. There was a couple of planes circling around, all displaying aviation lights, but this had none. It was lower than the planes in the sky. Also, it seemed to be navigating the M23/A23.
December 31st, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Location of Sighting: Braintree
Date of Sighting: 25th December 2009
Time: 8pm
Witness Name: Ashley
Witness Statement: As mentioned on previous reports, this sighting was a bright orange light moving at a constant fast speed at about the altitude of an aeroplane. Total silence. I had five other, totally rational people with me who were at a complete loss to explain what they saw.
December 31st, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Location of Sighting: cramond edinburgh
Date of Sighting: 25 December
Time: 10 am
Witness Name: kathleen inglis
Witness Statement: we saw a bright orange burning light in the
sky over the M90. Thought it was a burning plane but after about 2 minutes
it burnt out.
December 31st, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Me and my family just witnessed a bright red glow which made no sound and glided across the sky. We thought at first it was a plane but there was no way it was a Plane it had no flashing lights and made no sound. This took place in westyorshire at 6.45 on 31st of December
January 1st, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Just past midnight on New Years Eve I saw two ‘planes’ (I’m assuming) about 30 seconds apart travelling across the sky at a phenomenal speed. They had a big orange glow behind them, but were totally silent. I couldn’t see any flashing anti-collision lights, but the orange glow was so bright, I’m not sure they would have been visible anyway.
They were travelling on a heading of about 240. I would imagine they were military as they would have flown straight over a local US military airbase, so wouldn’t have gone un-detected.
They obviously don’t seem concerned about people seeing them, otherwise they wouldn’t have been flying just gone midnight on New Years Eve, where people are watching fireworks in the sky.
I’ve photographed military jets for years, but never seen anything like this. Very strange.
January 1st, 2010 at 3:45 pm
Comber Northern Ireland …..Saw 2 very bright orange lights about 4 miles off ..when i first saw them they were very close together but as they got higher 1 went in a southerly direction away from me and the other came towards me in a northerly direction. I could see this 1 clearer and it was clearly gaining altitude and an extremely fast rate.. Very hard to explain as you would think if these were lanterns or weather balloons they would follow the same direction i.e the wind direction. I will also add that there was not a sound from them ruling out the possibility of a helicopter or plane..
January 1st, 2010 at 4:59 pm
It was new years december 2009, as the family entered the backgarden around midnight, to loose off fireworks, we were all in awe at around 30-40 bright lights, that came in pairs, as a couple disappeared another couple would come, I understand the Chinese lantern theory, but I can honestly say that unless Chinese lanterns have been modified, and re-made, it is impossible, the speed was faster than an aeroplane at times, in one instance, one came stopped dead in the air, whilst another raced to get past, and then it followed suit in the same direction at a unreal pace.
As I write this, new years day, the day after these sightings, I kid you not, my sister has come through shouting, as another two that have past the house again, in a different direction, but both disappearing in the same direction, alot slower this time, and were higher up in the sky.
So many people in the west midlands area, have spotted these now in the last couple of nights, I really want answers, I understand nobody can probably give them, but to acknowledge them would be enough. If you have information for us, please be in contact.
January 2nd, 2010 at 12:29 am
Just wondering if anyone else has seen unusual airborne activity over the festive period? For those not in the UK, we are in the grip of very cold weather presently and have been for a couple of weeks – with more forecast – but in many areas the wintry days are accompanied by spectacularly clear nights which are perfect for star-gazers. Earlier this evening, at 5.10pm whilst enjoying a New Year meal with some friends, we noticed a strange object flying across the sky in front of my dining window. What caught the attention was the underside – it had the appearance of an aircraft on fire. I live midway between Blackpool Airport and BAE Warton in Lancashire so we see quite a range of aircraft from cessna props, chartered mid-size jets such as 767s, typhoons, tornados and assorted helicopters. Naturally we opened the window to get a better look. The “aircraft” was travelling around the same speed as a helicopter – around 100 kts, at around 1,000 and 1,500′ altitude and approx 1 mile from where we were. The sun had just set and the sky was clear and the visibility was excellent. Whatever it was it was something none of us had seen before – certainly not in these skies.
Underside had the appearance of hanging globules of fire atop a cylindrical object around 10-15 metres in length. It radiated a bright orange glow and was completely silent. I live opposite a beach and there was absoltely no traffic noise at the best of times. We hear aircraft from miles away. This was flying around a mile away and it was silent. It passed north to south for a couple of miles then simply disappeared. One of our party recalled seeing two similar objects on Christmas night around 7.15pm whilst driving, but discounted it at the time thinking it must have been a reflection or a firework, but thought it unusual in that it was travelling horizontally around the same height but in a south to north direction. When he stopped to look – it had vanished. Have been checking the news tonight but there has been no mention, but when I googled UK UFO sightings I came across this website which has multiple sightings all over the UK in recent days. Calling family in Scotland this evening to relate the tale and we are surprised to hear one family member in Fife had a similar experience shortly after 6.30pm this evening too – same characteristics. About 250 miles away.
Now thank you for your concerns and I am still relatively sane and I know what a Chinese lantern looks like, but if anyone else seen anything unusual in the last few days I would very much like to hear from them.
January 2nd, 2010 at 1:02 am
Location of Sighting: South Leeds
Date of Sighting: 1 January 2010
Time: 00:00-00:30
Number of Witnesses: 4
Witness Statment: Between midnight and half twelve (of 1 Jan 2010) my family and I were looking out at the fireworks from our North front room window. We live on a very high hill on the South side of Leeds so we have a spectacular view across the Aire Valley.
We noticed rows of spherical orange lights of consistent colour appearing suddenly from over Leeds City Centre, a point dead north of us (just north-east of Leeds) and the east roughly over Seacroft. It was both beautiful and terrifying as there were at least 100 in the time concerned! They appeared to mainly stay single-file and evenly spaced apart coming towards the south like streams that would converge. The first wave had a number of rectangular and diamond formations in the front. I was too gob-smacked by all this to actually go round to the front of our house and see what became of the lights! I tried to take a video but I couldn’t zoom in and the objects were not close enough to show up.
Since then I have viewed online footage of Chinese lanterns, hoping to make some sense of what we saw. Chinese lanterns, however, seem to come up in awkward clusters and bang about. These were 3 single-file streams of evenly spaced lights from 3 distant parts of the Leeds area that seemed to be synchronised and appearing in transit in the sky.. I am still at a loss to determine what we saw!
January 2nd, 2010 at 1:15 am
county durham- just after midnight of new years eve.
i saw a bright orange/red light in the sky, definately bigger and brighter than any light a lantern could give off, heading from south to north. it was a perfectly clear night, i watched it for a good 3-4minutes until it just disappeared.
January 2nd, 2010 at 1:28 am
Cardiff Wales New Years Eve 12.15 to 12.40 a.m.
Three of us were out the front lighting off fireworks when we saw the same orange lights we saw on Christmas night.
There was a procession of them one after the other about 20 travelling about 300 mph 1000ft agl from east to west approx following the M4 corridor along the south wales coast.
No sounds or flashing lights so most definatley not aircraft and impossible to be Chinese lanterns! Many other people I spoke to today said they saw them and we got it on video and photos. I think I saw the underside of one which flew close by and it appeared flat and circular but i m not sure.
We have never seen anything weird in the sky before but while out walking last xmas night we saw 3 coming from south then turning east to see this last night I think there is activity building world wide.
My view is that the governments are now being by passed and contact will be made soon with these peaceful aliens as we are now ready to join the inter gallactic club.:)
January 2nd, 2010 at 9:41 am
Witnessed on 31st December 2009 4 orange lights in the sky flying in an upside down Y formation west to east above Lowestoft at approx 5:15, they were like orange balls no flames to be seen, were silent and moved quickly in formation out to sea.
January 2nd, 2010 at 3:23 pm
On a clear, windless night in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, shortly after midnight on 1st January, a large globular light, mostly orange hued but with greens & reds also (not flashing), whizzed by in the night sky. Definitely not fireworks, shooting stars, chinese lanterns (moving much too fast), or any planes I’d recognize.
Within a couple of minutes 4 more came by. I followed them with my binoculars as far as the eye could see for about a minute, maybe slightly longer. A few minutes later, another 5 flew by, then after a short while, 2 more. Twelve in all!
Never seen anything like it! What they were, I don’t know. My guess is, most probably a sophisticated hoax. maybe even something that the local RAF were in on. If not, Lord only knows, but I know what I saw & will never forget it. – (BTW, I’m a teetotaller).
January 2nd, 2010 at 6:15 pm
I saw this orange ball in the Eastern sky Dec 30th 2009 I live in Shropshire, my brother who lives in Somerset also saw this light, thought it was a firework but we wouldn’t see the same firework being that far apart over a hundred miles another unexplained sight. Frank
January 2nd, 2010 at 6:38 pm
I saw several orange balls of light on 5th December in Kings Langley (Herts) they came around 5-10 mins apart and slowly drifted across the sky, nobody else saw them and my friend laughed at me, I described them as chinese lanterns and put it down to that as I didn’t want to sound crazy. Tonight 2nd Jan, my boyfriend was outside somking (in south west Hertfordshire) when he called to say he had seen an orange glow float across the sky. By the time we went out to look it had gone. he described it as a slow orange orb floating across the sky.
January 2nd, 2010 at 8:08 pm
im in north edinburgh – scotland and about 5 mins ago saw around 4 of these lights one after the other (approx 1 min apart from each sighting of the seperate lights) they seemed to appear from no were, they appeared to descend then ascend again and were zig zagging across the sky at considerable speed then they appeared to have ascended and dissapeared.
i dont know what i saw or if it was lanterns or not but to me they didnt look like lanterns iv seen before in the sky. and it certainly freaked my dog out
January 3rd, 2010 at 6:59 pm
1st January 2010. 8:30 pm, Stevenage (Hertfordshire)
Orange ball in sky, stationary. About 15 minutes later second orange ball joined first one and within five minutes, two more had joined the first ball. Bright orange, moving very fast, straight line. Was as if the first two were waiting for the second two to join them. Going in a south westerly direction.
January 17th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
It was about 10pm on Sat 16/1/10. I was outside when I noticed an orange light in the sky – travelling West to East. At 1st thought it was a helicopter but it was silent. This was followed by 2 other – same direction and maybe a bit faster. After a slight pause a 4th followed.
February 7th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
My account happend in janurary of 1997. I got home from wrestling practice, and i showered then went to mcdonalds to get something to eat. I was walking home, and about ten feet from my house i saw an orange ball of light come down from the sky and hover over me. It sayed about 15-20 ft overhead, and it lasted for abt ten seconds before it shot off in the air. I saw it and everyone i tel this story too looks at me like im delusional. Can anyone explain. IT HAPPENED!
April 4th, 2010 at 9:27 pm
Just wondering if anyone else saw a large silent orange glow hovering over the M23 just by Gatwick airport on Mothers Day this year. My girlfriend and I cant explain it we drove underneath it and then couldnt track it again. It just seemed to disappear. Is there a rational explanation for this ie a massive chinese lantern?