‘UFOs’ which hovered in the night sky over a Perthshire village have been revealed to have a terrestrial source a local woman lighting Chinese lanterns to bring good fortune on a business venture.
This week’s enigma was solved when Nadine Stephenson of Comrie contacted The Courier to reassure residents that an alien invasion was not imminent.
The UFOs were the talk of the village after various sightings of ‘huge’ orbs floating above Strathearn at 10pm on Sunday which disappeared ”very fast”.
Commercial aircraft and RAF aeroplanes were discounted, leaving the lights a source of mystery to most and concern to some.
Ms Stephenson, of Glebe Road, stepped forward to put the minds of her fellow residents at rest.
She said: ”Myself, partner Dale Thornber and neighbour Steven Simpson were lighting the Chinese lanterns to wish my new business good luck. I could believe they looked like UFOs if you didn’t know what they were.”
Ms Stephenson said she was sorry some people were alarmed, but hoped they could see the funny side.
She works from home making natural skincare products and soaps but will soon move her business Yumm Naturally to premises in Crieff.Another theory…Before the mystery was solved, a scientific explanation had been proposed by author Archibald A. Lawrie of Kingskettle, Fife.
He said: ”When certain crystals, including some types of naturally occurring rock crystals, are crushed against each other then electrical charges are set up. This can take on the form of light and is called the piezoelectric effect.”
He added: ”Bearing in mind that the rocks in the general area of Comrie are of that very nature, and that both Comrie and Islay are known to be connected with active geological faults, I suggest that the electrical charges set up by the rocks below those places may be setting off charges of the reverse polarity in the sky above those areas.
”This might result in unusual lights being seen there.”