They're not aliens, they're lanterns

Lanterns could be the answer to the UFO mystery

28 June 2007 09:45

At first sky watchers thought it was a message from the little green men, but now it seems it was a message from someone a little closer to home.

The sighting of UFOs across the city skies on Saturday night got resident alien watchers' antennae twitching and several people reported seeing five orange orbs moving silently over Norwich.

But after seeing the story in the Evening News on Tuesday, a number of people have written in to suggest the glowing orange lights were nothing more than paper lanterns.

Setting off paper lanterns with messages is the latest craze for summer parties and barbecues.

The lanterns are made of paper and powered by small candles, or tea lights, working like small hot air balloons. They were originally used in China as a way of sending messages to the heavens but now the idea has caught on here.

Anna Hassan, 32, from Norwich, was one reader who contacted the Evening News to suggest the lantern theory might be more likely than the alien theory after being caught out by paper lanterns in May. She said: "Back in May I was driving back from Walsingham with my brother when I saw these lights as we went down a hill.

"I wanted to know what they were, so we ended up driving round the village trying to find them and eventually discovered a party where people were setting them off.

"They gave us a leaflet - they're called Wishes in the Sky."

The idea is that people write a message on the lantern and then set them off on their way. The little hot air balloons are made of orange paper to give the gentle orange glow as they float.

One website which sells the paper orbs says: "Flying lanterns were a traditional Chinese communication tool thousands of years ago, invented for military festivals, especially during the First Full-Moon festival in Taiwan. People would write down their wishes on the paper surface of lanterns, which would then be lit and ascend like miniature hot air balloons.

"Reaching the sky, the lanterns bring messages to heaven, where wishes are said to come true. The higher they fly, the more likely Heaven is to hear their prayers."

But others are not convinced. David Faulks, from Norwich, also saw the lights at around 10.30pm on Saturday. He said: "I first thought they were planes but when I couldn't hear anything I began to wonder what they were. I think that there are other living things in space - I find it very unlikely that we are the only living creatures in the whole of the universe."

Maynard Napthine, 94, from Stoke Holy Cross saw the lights when they were making their way south west out of the city. "They were bunched together and there were about five or six or them. I saw them out of my bedroom window and thought I was seeing things - they didn't seem to move."

Ü Do you have a theory? Were they paper lanterns or aliens, or do you have another explanation? Call Lucy Bolton on 01603 772429 or email lucy.bolton@archant.co.uk

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