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Strange Lights In The Sky

 

The following experiences are NOT spooky or scary, but, for me, extremely puzzling. Perhaps one of our esteemed readers can help shed light on them for me.

Three times in my life, I have seen unexplained lights in the sky. Each time it was during daylight hours. Each time, I had at least one witness.

My first recollection would be sometime in the early to mid- 1950s. It must have been summer, as the trees were in full leaf, as were my Dad's precious grape vines. I was outside with my dad and granny. I sat on the side veranda step, while Gran stood slightly behind me. My dad stood under the grape vines, facing us. The adults were chatting while I, for some reason, sat scanning the expanse of brilliant blue sky.

Unexpectedly, my eyes lit on a curious cigar shaped object in the north sky. It seemed quite high up, but as I watched, its metallic silver sheen changed colours. First to red, then to green, then back to silver again - it was definitely not an aeroplane. I drew the adults' attention to this strange phenomenon, and we all watched the colour changes for a few seconds. Suddenly this object shot off at an incredible speed and was lost to sight. Darn! If only I could recall what my elders said about that.

My second sighting occurred when I was twelve years old. I was in Standard 5 (Grade 7), and our class was taken on an excursion to our airport, which served as our local meteorological station too. We were learning about the weather, so were being taken to get some hands- on experience. We watched a couple of small planes land and refuel. We were shown how minimum and maximum temperatures are recorded, along with a whole bunch of uninteresting stuff. Then came the release of a weather balloon!

This was the highlight of the expedition. We watched as the balloon was pumped full of hydrogen, and were told how this white, seemingly fragile object could be tracked. The whole class watched as it was released and how it swiftly rose above us. I was standing next to my best friend, Sandra, as we both craned our necks to watch its progress. At one point, I lowered my head to relieve my neck muscles for a moment or two. As I looked up again, I exclaimed that we were not told that the balloon would change colour. Sandra gave a snort of derision, asking what I was talking about... There was the balloon, and it was definitely still white. I followed her pointing finger, and to my amazement saw the white balloon, which had drifted to the left. "Well, what is THAT?' I asked, pointing to a silver 'balloon' floating at about the same height, but more to the right.

We both hurried off to find our instructor, Mr Borstap, to find out if another weather balloon had been released. The answer was an emphatic "No!" In addition, of course by the time we looked again, neither balloon was visible to the naked eye. Mr Borstap jestingly suggested that it may have been a flying saucer - I still wonder if he was correct.

My last sighting happened in the early to mid-1970s. My husband was working late shift in the Traffic Department. I decided to give our three little girls a treat - bought fish and chips for supper to eat in the lounge. Just for the novelty, I lit a lone candle, placing it on the large coffee table from which we would eat. The three girls sat in a row on the couch, with their backs to the large window; I sat on a chair opposite them.

At one point, I glanced up at the window to see an orange light above our neighbours' garage roof. At first I thought, it was the reflection of the candle on the windowpane, although it was not yet dusk. After a couple of seconds of mental calculation, I deduced that a reflection at that angle was impossible, and called the girls attention to it. The eldest claimed to see it too. I jumped up, almost upsetting the table and candle in my rush to the open front door. I was just in time to see the bright orange 'ball' streak off in an easterly direction. A few days later, I read in our local newspaper that a small meteorite had fallen some distance to the east of us, causing a large veldt fire next to a train line. This happened at approximately the period of my sighting. I cannot help but connect the orange glow and the veldt fire; but if that was a meteorite, I will eat my hat! I have never heard of a meteorite standing stationary for even one second.

I am still baffled, on all three counts as to what I saw in the sky.

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Comments about this paranormal experience

The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, Fergie, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

TRUCK (25 posts)
+1
9 years ago (2014-11-14)
I tend to agree that #3 was the meteor. As stated, at the right line of site it could seem to stand still. As far as #1 goes it could have been an airplane. In the 50's most planes were bare metal exteriors and highly reflective. Just like clouds depending on the angle it can appear different colors. Also the 50's were a time when the world was pushing the envelope of what planes could do as far as altitude, endurance and speed.

Not trying to poke holes in your story, just offering ideas. And as one poster already said, a UFO is just that, an unidentified flying object.
Sceptic-Ari (2 stories) (611 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-12)
Dear Fergie,
Sorry for being late again to reply 😳
Thanks for being so gracious and modest 😐
I am obliged to receive your well-wishes.
Do take care.

Regards
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-11)
Lol elnoraemily, I think a lot of folks associate UFOs with little green men, or skinny grey ones with large eyes. Thank goodness I have never encountered anything like that - then I am sure I would have freaked out. If you are looking for another unexplained encounter of mine, read "The White-out" and give your opinion, if you will. I got a whole bunch of interesting replies on that.

Thank you elnora, I have another more traditional story in the pipeline which I hope to submit in the not too distant future.
elnoraemily (guest)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-11)
I am not sure why people get bent out of shape about stories of UFOs.
Is it flying? Yes. Can you identify it? No. Well, then it is a UFO.

Paranormal does not have to be ghosts and demons- the scope of it is simply things that defy explanation.

I think it's silly that people on a paranormal site judged you for having a different sort of paranormal experience.

Only you truly know what you saw, but some of the explanations here have been quite wonderful and well thought out.

Best wishes to you and look forward to reading future experiences!
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
 
10 years ago (2014-08-11)
JudyGore, Thank you for reading my experience and your interesting reply. It is great to hear of a similar experience from so far afield. I truly wonder what your sighting could have been. We still have so much to learn. It makes me wonder how much our governments choose not to tell us.
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
 
10 years ago (2014-08-11)
Val,
Thank you for reading and your suggestions. I did a cursory search on google to see if you could be correct. I can find no mention of dirigibles in SA between the '20s and the '90s. Also, if memory serves me correctly, there were no clouds in the sky and it was above the tree line. I can't find any mention of Mylar more than twenty years ago either. Lol, remember we are behind times here.
As usual, you gave me pause for thought, and a chance to increase my knowledge - I thank you for that 😁.
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
 
10 years ago (2014-08-11)
Hi Swimsinfire, thank you for reading. I agree, I am amazed at all the information to be gathered from knowledgeable folk on this site. Seeing that this site is frequented by people from all walks of life, it's great to hear their opinions and related experiences.

Stay well my young friend, and all good wishes for you. 😊
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-11)
Dear Ari,

I regret my tardy reply but we have had an extremely busy weekend, and were only home to sleep. We attended a Muslim engagement ceremony on Saturday. Now that was extremely interesting and educational!

Thank you, yes, we are well. Don't worry about not addressing me directly at first, you are forgiven, 😊 I too have on occasion been so eager to make a comment that I may have seemed rude to the OP. 😉

Be well Ari!
JudyGore (8 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-11)
thanks for sharing this! I remembered just 2 years ago, I was with my little brother (4yrs old) and little sister (8yrs old) and another kid who I think was 10 at the time. It was 5:00 in the after noon so the sky was partially bright and dark. We were out on the street and my siblings just happened to look up the sky when a bright orange unmoving light caught up our attention. We thought it was just an airplane's headlights or something. But seconds later, it started moving on a triangle direction. But not a perfect triangle. It moved very fast and it decreases and increases light as it moves and stops again. Maybe it lasts for a short 10-15 seconds. We were just amazed by the view. The light just zapped out and were gone. Reading stories like yours makes me want to see more of so called UFOs. They're feast in the eyes!
valkricry (48 stories) (3257 posts) mod
+3
10 years ago (2014-08-10)
Fergie,
I would suggest a dirigible for your first sighting (had an experience with one once that was witnessed by 15 or so kids and myself); but then you said it sped off at a rapid speed. Now if your view was unblocked - no trees, clouds, etc. The entire time, so no optical illusion was in play - then I don't think so. Dirigibles are not known for their 'high speeds'.
The second sighting, MAY have been other weather balloons being launched by another group. The one that changed color, some materials such as shiny Mylar act like prisms, changing colors with the light. But, then I don't know if such material was used at that time.
The last one was possibly a meteorite, I'll agree with elnora on that.
However, let's give the acronym UFO a chance here. It means unidentified flying object. So by that definition, all 3 of your sightings were UFOs! 😉
Sceptic-Ari (2 stories) (611 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-10)
Dear Swimsinfire,
Nice to hear from you too 😁
How have you been lately? I hope fine.

Regards
Sceptic-Ari (2 stories) (611 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-10)
Dear Fergie,
Sorry for the late reply 😢

I am good thank you. How are you doing? I hope fine 😊

I apologise for not addressing you directly in my last comment 😐 It was rude of me, and I should have thought of that before posting.

Respects & Regards
Swimsinfire (11 stories) (556 posts)
+2
10 years ago (2014-08-09)
Very cool story, love the information on this site! And it's really good to hear from Fergie and Ari.
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-09)
Elnoraemily, I am certainly not going to argue with a science nerd. I accept your explanation without reservations - it sounds perfectly logical to me. Thank you for clearing up at least one of my mysteries.

I too have seen a whole bunch of hot air balloons lift off just after daybreak. What an amazing sight!

Ari, good to see you again. I hope you are well?

Thank you both for reading my tale.
Sceptic-Ari (2 stories) (611 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-09)
Respects to the Science Nerd 😉

😐 Respected, Agreed & Seconded 😐

Regards
elnoraemily (guest)
+3
10 years ago (2014-08-08)
Meteorites can appear to be standing still at the right angle. It's an optical illusion caused by the angle and also the height of the object that is falling (such as if a plane at a extreme height is flying towards you, it will appear to be stationary. This also happens while driving).

I would bet my money on the last streak you saw being a meteorite. The only reason some of them seem to be moving faster (such as Russia's strike) has to do with size, height and also the angle of impact.

I'm a science nerd.

The other ones, I don't have anything for.
I live in an area with a sky full of hot air balloons every morning (which is quite pretty), and those get mistaken for UFO's all the time by out of town visitor- but those cannot go high enough to disappear from site, or speed off.
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
+2
10 years ago (2014-08-08)
Lol BJJ, I wouldn't say I am unflappable, but I guess I am usually pretty laid-back. My usual reaction to my encounters is just a "Wow!" And no. I have never touched the "weed", honest. 😆 (Just in case you think that is my reason for being laid-back, lol.)
BadJuuJuu (guest)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-08)
Anytime. 😁
I've seem some stuff in the sky myself, that mostly I'd rather not think about too much lol. Sounds like you got through your sightings with your undies unsoiled, and for that I salute you.
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
 
10 years ago (2014-08-08)
Thank you BadJuuJuu for coming to my rescue 😊, I know I never mentioned UFO's specifically, but I guess the implication was there. 😉
BadJuuJuu (guest)
+2
10 years ago (2014-08-08)
We do accept UFO stories, there are a few in the site's archives. We don't get a lot, true enough, but we do publish the ones that we believe to be credible.
Revajane (1 stories) (71 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-08)
Forgive me for asking but isn't this site for Paranormal not Alien sightings. This story does not sound supernatural in the "ghost/demon" since.

Though it did remind me of the one occasion that me and my kids had when traveling back home from H town one evening.
MandyyNicole (7 stories) (183 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-07)
Yes, I agree... It does seem rather unlikely for it to have been a flare. I have this fun theory (that's not much of a theory, it's more just "fun", lol) that ufo's are just future time travel devices and whoever is inside has just come to check out the past. Maybe your great-great-great-great (x5) grandkids were checking out how it used to be:)
Or, perhaps they were orbs. This world is so full of mystery!
Fergie (40 stories) (1159 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-07)
Hi MandyyNicole, thank you for reading and your interesting suggestions. Unfortunately the first two occurrences took place in Kimberley which is a rather arid region. No marsh or swamp around. The whole area used to be a mass of volcanoes way back in time - hence all the diamond mines in that area.

Your idea of a flare on the last occasion is interesting, though unlikely, it is not impossible. Now that you mentioned it, the orange ball did resemble a flare. It is still puzzling why a flare would travel approximately 15 miles (as the crow flies) west, and then return from whence it came.

Thank you for adding your own experience. That does sound very similar to mine.
MandyyNicole (7 stories) (183 posts)
+1
10 years ago (2014-08-06)
The first experience reminds me of swamp gas... But the others are confusing. Is it possible some one lit a flare off, signaling where the meteor landed? Just a suggestion. However, my husband and I have seen something similar (to the orange ball). Never figured out what it was either, but I decided it was possibly a flare. It gradually got closer/brighter/bigger, and it sat there in the sky- long enough for us to start kind of freaking out, and then it shot off at light speed until it was a tiny pinprick and disappeared completely.

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