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 | | From: | Spunky the Wonder Toad | | Subject: | Experts join debate on mystery light | | Date: | Fri, 21 Jan 2005 20:56:05 +0000 |
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 | Experts join debate on mystery light
Astronomical experts have joined forces with puzzled Shropshire residents in a
bid to identify the mysterious beam of light spotted in the county's skies.
People across the county stopped in their tracks as a massive beam of light lit
up the early morning gloom on Tuesday. But no-one could explain what caused the
eerie light which disappeared three seconds later.
Now county residents and top boffins have drawn up a list of possible
explanations for the phenomenon, including an iridium flare, a burning meteor, a
bright search light, aircraft landing lights or even a UFO.
Sue Oliver, 37, of Briarwood, Brookside, Telford, saw the beam of light at
6.40am while walking her dog at nearby Nedge Hill.
She said though she does not usually believe in "weird happenings", after seeing
the light she thought it could have been a UFO.
Montgomeryshire MP Lembit Opik, who has campaigned to raise awareness of the
risk of a meteorite or comet hitting the earth, claimed the light was most
likely to be an iridium flare, which can illuminate hundreds of square miles and
would look like a bright light.
But Kev Wildgoose, from the Shropshire Astronomical Society, disagreed and said
with 40 years of experience he did not believe it was an astronomical sighting.
"I'd be more inclined to identify it as an aircraft, perhaps a bright search
light," he said.
People in Lancashire also reported sighting something strange in the sky on
Tuesday.
http://www.shropshirestar.com/show_article.php?aID=28540#
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