Mass Sighting In Stratford-Upon-Avon, England

I didn't know what to believe but IMO if they look like sky lanterns (you tube them and have a look, they do. The higher up the lanterns are, the less it looks like they are moving) and a local rugby club let lanterns go that night in an event......all the evidence (at the moment) points towards sky lanterns. I don't think that we can dismiss this idea as circumstantial.....or label anyone who proposes it as either an employee of the govt 'misinformation' department or out to debunk everything.

If Stratford Rugby Club have come forward and said that on the exact same night they released sky lanterns.....2 + 2 = ????

If a cop is investigating a murder and finds the weapon at a suspects house....all they would need is a motive.

Unidentified lights over Stratford + Local Rugby Club holds an event (they don't necessarily have to be playing rugby....) at which Sky lanterns are released + the local club contacts the local paper to confirm that this was the case = ........ there is really only one outcome at the minute.

To those that would instantly dismiss the idea of sky lanterns, have a look at the vids on youtube etc. I went in with an open mind and as soon as i saw some vids of sky lanterns my heart sank......

Note: the light that is said to have 'moved' in the video could be due to the different altitude. It is lower than the other 'formation'.

If you take into account the angle at which the camera is looking at the 'formation' they are not going to be in a 'perfect 'y' formation. Imagine the y shape and then tilt it to take into account the angle of the camera.......and then remember that they will also most likely be at different altitudes......

Sorry guys but in order to say these are UFO's we'd have to ignore the current evidence. I, for one, cannot do that.

Commence flaming......

And you're ignoring the witness testimonies, So you're right....You are ignoring the evidence...All the witness statements state they moved to fast and came into view in formation....I've spoke to a few people today who actually saw the event...And i can assure you my little skeptic friends...That the energy i felt from them was electric...Oh yes...The chinese lantern theory...there laughing at the idea...It's a insult to there intelligence.

Oh yes I've moved from this thread to a more constructive Stafford sighting where there is a healthier debate without all the nonsense.

[edit on 28uSaturday07/27/20 by paul76]

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[edit on 6/8/07 by masqua]

Originally posted by paul76


And you're ignoring the witness testimonies,

And you are ignoring cast iron 100% proof, but why doesnt that surprise me

Oh yes I've moved from this thread to a more constructive Stafford sighting where there is a healthier debate without all the nonsense.

[edit on 28uSaturday07/27/20 by paul76]

Ahh so youve found a thread with less evidence where you can more easily make yourself believe something?
Fine.

After 2 years of research...I already believe in that we're not alone in this universe...So in that respect...I don't wish to get into arguments whether ufo's are real or some other unexplained phenomena. I look at the evidence and the pictures...And i refuse not to believe in over 100 hundred people. Sometimes i will get it wrong...And sometimes i will believe in a hoax or something as innocent as a Chinese lantern...But i don't mind that.....I wish to have constructive debate with fellow believers.. I don't believe in religion or god..But you won't find me in the religious forums...Telling them so...Whats the point..They have there beliefs..WE have ours...I just let them get on with it...It's all harmless fun...HINT HINT

[edit on 29uSunday07/27/20 by paul76]

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[edit on 6/8/07 by masqua]

Originally posted by paul76


Lol i totally agree with you mate..While always trying to keep a open mind... THe chinese lantern theory has had me laughing non stop for 10 mins.. Then also your post had me laughing to for 20 mins

It would seem you are (...) then! You were laughing for ten minutes because someone suggested (a good suggestion too) that these may be Chinese lanterns? That's a very weird reaction!

It also says more about you than it does the person who suggested the theory.

These posters who post hysterical "LOL's" about an idea they don't agree with, make themselves look so so stupid!

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[edit on 4/8/07 by masqua]

Given the severe and historic flooding going on in the UK, it's especially interesting that this is happening in Shakespeare's home town. He was, after all, known for his tragedies.

It's an omen, but it's hard to convince people of this. Imagine that someone showed you a pool table, with the que ball offset in a rather provocative fashion, while predicting your doom.

The lights in the sky are a warning. The specific configuration was a clear warning. The location was an even bigger warning, and with the historic flooding in combination, it's one GIANT WARNING. Someone is about to scatter our world into little pieces.

["At the last Tower of Babel ... Oz came to them"]










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I've been quiet on this one for a while.

This Lanterns thing. I have a few issues with it so a few questions need to be asked.

The local Golf Club said that some were released as part of a Wedding Celebration, and that there are witnesses to that happening. Fine.

So - how many were released, and more specifically at what time? Seems that somene should know. No doubt theres pictures of it being done - people take lots of photos at weddings, right?

Even better, we need to know what type of lanterns they were. I say this because its my understanding from checking a few websites that these lanterns have a burn time of about 20-25 minutes, and they take a while to get to "take off" temperature - the sighting allegedly took place for over half an hour.

A decent UFOlogist would pull the weather records for the area and have a chat with local air traffic controllers to see what the prevailing weather condition was and try and gather information on the wind speeds at altitude.

Four of these lights are apparently stationary and one isn't, as clearly shown on the video. Thats kind of weird, because the wind doesn't suddenly cut off, so if the moving one was a lantern rising into the sky, rather than an object at the same height approaching, how did it come to a stop?

Now I'm not discounting the lantern theory. Its possible, but then again you can't say for certain that it WAS lanterns, without all the above information, because if they were released half an hour earlier, or later than the sightings, or if 20 were released and only five appear here, then there are some discrepanices that need looking at.

At the moment all we have is a "it was a UFO/it was lanterns" debate. Anyone got any facts that can answer the above?

Hi Nefermore

Ive seen an awfull lot of these lanterns going off in Malaysia Thailand and China. Ive also let an awfull lot of them off myself. Its the 'done thing' at festival time, at certain religious ceremonies, birthdays, wedding deaths and marriages.
Typical 'launch' time from lighting to release depends on various things.
Size of lantern, wind, and actual heat source. However working on the 'normal' sized lantern of around 2-3 ft tall you are probably looking at around 2-3 minutes, sometimes a bit less sometimes a bit more, but the heat inside collects very quickly.
Now duration time is the moot point. Ive seen some go up and burn for 5 minutes then go out and drop. Ive seen some go up, get hit by a draft, turn sideways and burn and fall, Ive seen some go up and up and up untill we actually lost sight of them due to the height, but, more importantly Ive seen some go up a hundred feet or so then just stop dead.
Ive always suspect that this was some Temperature inversion or temperature level. Ive seen as many as 100+ lanterns just hanging there in the sky yet 50 yards along some were still zooming up!! and 100 yards the other way some were slowly descending. They are totally unpredictable because of so many many factors.

Now the Stratford Lanterns. If you look carefully you will see that they do move around slowly as they ascend but they are in that 'Y' formation only for a second or so before they continued moving apart which is what some people fail to note, yet they grab onto the second or so that they are in formation as some sort of 'sign' (reminiscent of the famous Monty Python 'sign')
The one that appears to move faster than the others? well looking at that video, it really doesnt move that fast at all and I suspect the reason it 'looks' like its moving faster is simply because it was let go later than the others and isnt as high as those were.

People seem to want or need there to be other explanations for quite simple things and will jump at the most far out explanations without examining the obvious first.

Tis most certainly a weird world we live in.

and everything your saying makes me think your on a government payroll.
chorlton i must commend you for the fact when you think your right , youll defend it till the end.

I'm not sure how legit this claim is, but someone wrote into the Metro newspaper (free paper on public transport here in the UK) that they were infact Lanterns. The guy said that he had them released at the end of his wedding into the night sky.

I'm starting to agree they are infact lanterns now, no ones said how the lights went away or got any good high resolution images i've seen. If they are something else then its been covered up well.

Originally posted by instrumentality
and everything your saying makes me think your on a government payroll.
chorlton i must commend you for the fact when you think your right , youll defend it till the end.

And I must commend you for completely twisting the facts.

When someone has empirical evidence of something, as I have with Chinese Lanterns and they see exactly the same thing they have seen many many times before, then see someone calling them UFO's and making the most incredible and unsubstantiated claims about them, I will speak up.

People have admitted to letting the lanterns off, and that was after I suggested they were lanterns having seen many before, so the weight of evidence would state that they were indeed Lanterns, and you call me a government agent for stating that?
I will defend the truth thats for sure, and if people like you object to it?
Tough

This one actually appeared something mysterious, but if what´s been said is true, about people letting loose lanterns at the same time, well case closed. A bit weird how that right one moves towards the others, but yeah.

Based on raptor witness' pictures, I would say lanterns for sure. Even if he thinks some rubbish about the tower of babel lol.

Hi all,

Im from Leamington which is approx 8 miles away from Stratford. Found this really interesting as I tend to go to Stratford once a month shopping with my better half

Any way, I have to debunk the Rugby Club theory as with the Chinese Laterns and catagorically state that this was not the source of the sighting.

My proof?

Well, I know the area very well. Heres some facts for you to ponder over.

To start with, for the proof Im using two objects (furthest ones apart and discounting the others for now).

Firstly the distance from the Rugby Club to the Elm Inn is just shy of 1 mile (0.91miles).

Its clear to see that the object furthest left in comparison to the object furthest right (at its furtherst distance viewable) is infact at a greater distance eastwards compared to the location of the Inn. Therfore indicating that the distance between object left and object right is > than 1 mile.

We know the length of the Rugby pitch, 100mtrs.

For an object to be lifted from one side of the pitch to the other, it would require wind direction to be opposing within 100mtr. Thus pushing 1 object East, 1 object West. In a space of 100mtrs to have opposing wind (sustained for the duration of flight at equal opposing force) is impressive!

The wind would need to carry object left due south as would object right. Object right at its first view would be seen over the main road A422, whilst object left, would be visable from the main road A4390.

Wind speed and direction must then stop at the furthest left object entirely. Object right would see the wind speed and direction shift again from North West this time to South East and increase in speed before again stopping. For the remaining duration of the video there is no wind at all!

We have 4 complete opposite wind directions. E,W,NW,SW. Finally no wind at all. Thats one very strange evening weather wise in 30mins.

Location of Rugby club,N. Location of sighting, S of Elm In.

Wind speed and direction on evening of event was 10mph SW wind. The wind speed plus/minus 10% was the same up until Monday, before changing to a W wind 12mph on Tuesday. (Source BBC weather).

For object right to travel even the 0.91 miles, it should have taken approx 7 minutes. The video shows the object gain the same distance in approx 30 seconds, giving it a speed of between 70 and 90mph. I can assure you, there were no wind speeds of that magnitude anywhere in the UK during July! Thats hurrican force and would of produced damage to housing, as well as being naturally reported on.
Again, the Rugby Club (green on map) is situated south west of the Elm Inn (red on map). The view of the objects were far NW & NE of the location.

Its clearly not possible for wind to change speed, direction (360'), stop entirely and reach hurrican force levels within 30 minutes. Do you notice that no one in the video or picture were being battered by strong wind? It was a generally calm evening which should be expected during the summer, thus giving more credibility to the fact, nature had no part to play.

Next, they both show star constellations, which I find eerie.
Unfortuantly before the video was recorded the objects were starting to reform, however, you can clearly see the shape of the Star Constellation UrsaMinor, the 2nd an unknown star constellation. All within the same area of sky.

Even after i saw that statement about the wedding..I still didn't buy the lanterns theory..I don't need to believe..The evidence makes me believe. I did take the weddings statement into consideration, and I'm not going to dismiss the fact, but I'm not going to dismiss the pictures and video evidence either, not to mention the witness testimonies. So where does that leave us? I still think this was a very interesting occurrence indeed. And I'm still leaning towards the Ufo theory...And that doesn't have to mean Aliens.

The description says:

Patty & Stephen launch wedding lanterns
" This is us launching our Chinese sky lanterns toward the end of our reception. Later, they were the cause of a mass UFO sighting in Stratford-upon-Avon. "

Lol O.k well and truly busted...Well done Chorlton i commend you on your good work.

Ok my time to say my bit, I just finished reading the whole thread - phew. And I note that due to the youtube post above me it is well and truly over - for the rational among us.

Someone posted a witness statement earlier. some thing like this "They looked like flames in a (hot air) balloon, I tried to look for the shape of the balloon (above the flames) but there was nothing there"

This witness could see the shimmering flames but could not understand (because he had no prior knowledge of lanterns in the UK) so he associated it with a hot air balloon, and no balloon meant it was weird for him.

Other witness statements mentioned a 5th one moving in fast to the others and then just stopping. ok


Then I watched the videos the lights looked shimmering and slow moving I first watched the 3gp vids from the ufo website. Then I watched a youtube one which showed the one light coming in from the right "quickly" to then "stop". I noticed a lot of people were not bothered by the display of lights in the sky - they had realised they were just balloons. I saw the single one try to 'catch up' with the other balloons, it did not travel fast or at breakneck speed, it traveled as you would expect it to do if the wind was blowing, it was also rising as it went left to join the others. It was also closer to the viewer at the start. it was just the perspective which made it look like it traveled faster, as it rose in altitude and went away from the camera, the perspective gave the impression that it had slowed down or stopped.

Indeed if we are to read what Chorlton says these lanterns are not predictable - sounds plausible to me - and I have to admit never had any experience with lanterns - so Chorlton obviously is very experienced in this field.

The lights on this video from the pub, looked erratic and slowly ascending and did make a nice shape at one point but ONLY from the view point of the people at the pub, everyone else saw them slightly differently. I think they were lanterns in the video.

Now the icing on the cake, a link above to a wedding video showing 4 lanterns released and then a 5th one after some time (and we have no way to know how many were released prior or after. But it is significant that 4 were released then later a 5th one. and at the end of that wedding video, you will see when the 5th one goes up in the distance in the sky, you can see the earlier 4 have formed a triangle shape with the 4th one trailing behind, exactly the same shape as was seen at the pub (but from a different angle). Then the 5th one went to 'catch up'.

They definately released more than 5 lanterns because one other video shows about 9 - 10 lanterns in the sky it is the farncombesurry1.3gp video from a ufo website mentioned earlier in this thread. This video was filmed from the "other sside" of the triangle, so we see the triangle and the 4th one and the 5th one catching up but this time the triangle is pointing to the left. This gives us something it proves (as it was filmed in Stratford) that these lights were between this viewer and the viewers at the pub. which means they were not far away but very local, it also means they were not at great altitude but around 500 ft.


All the evidence points to chinese lanterns seen over Stratford, and a lot of eye witnesses who simply got it very wrong. You cannot rely on eye witnesses, people often do not understand what they see and they invent things to fit in with what they think they saw.

To add a bit more,
below is a map from the golf club (pink) to the pub (green) and the probable route taken by the lanterns (blue)




You can see the lanterns travelled in a South West direction from the golf club. And I would put the travel time for such a distance at about 5 mins.

EuPhoria above states the wind was 10mph and SW on the day from BBC weather.... I tried to confirm this but failed, I don't know where he got his historical data from, maybe he checked at the time of the story.

The only problem with this is that wind direction is usually given as the direction the wind blows from, not the direction the wind blows towards. But as the BBC weather uses an arrow symbol for wind direction it is understandable that anyone looking at an arrow pointing SW is going to say "the wind was SW".

I think that just about wraps this up.