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Date: 12/02/10

Aliens!!!

Just stepped outside for a smoke, and saw something very odd in the sky.

First, two lights, orange-red in colour, coming from roughly north-east in a south-westerly direction. The lights weren't circular, but elongated, and they didn't seem to be moving at a uniform velocity; more of a floating motion. Indeed, the second one was catching up with the first.

The first one seemed to stop, and the second one gradually came up behind it and stopped just short of it (they were almost exactly due south by this time).

A third light had by now appeared on a similar vector to the first two.

The first two lights then faded out. The third one got to near where they had been and seemed to hover there for a time before it, too, faded out.

I haven't been drinking, and I don't 'believe' in UFOs (although - spookily - my broadband connection dropped a couple of minutes later!), so what could they have been?

This happened at about 2342 UTC and my location is Lat. 53.04N, Long. 3.30W.

Update (13/02/10): The most rational explanation I've had (thanks to Julian Hall on alt.fan.pratchett) is that it's Chinese New Year this weekend, and these were possibly balloons with lights in (let off by those celebrating) which were drifting with the wind.

Thing is, the nearest Chinese population of any size in that direction is Chester, which is about ten miles away by direct reckoning. No wonder the Chinese think they can put people on the Moon!

Update Update: Seeing as we're now on the subject...

'Happy New Year' in Mandarin and Cantonese