Exploding Balloon?

[philhas]

Down in Hampshire to see my dad, he is puzzled by something he saw a couple of weeks ago so thought I would put it out there to see if anyone has any idea's. About 2-3 weeks ago he was looking out of his lounge window at about 9.30pm when he saw what looked like an aircraft light travelling towards him from the NW, he lives by the sea in Emsworth and thought it was odd as usually no planes in this area so he got his bino's out and saw what looked like a huge shape of a balloon with flames and sparks coming from underneath it (he could make out a large shape in the twighlight only through the bin's). Both him and my step mum watched it get closer with more sparks etc when it exploded into a huge ball of white light and flames:eek:. What looked like the top of the balloon floated away to the west. He estimated it was 3/4 miles away so this would put it over Waterlooville / A3 so if anyone out there has any idea or saw this can you solve the mystery for him.

Many Thanks

[Bizibilder]

Chinese lantern! (horrible dangerous things.......)

[Brinders]

Chinese lantern! (horrible dangerous things.......)

Yes, that was my immediate thought too!

Brinders

[philhas]

He say's not, he has had a scope for many years although doen't get out much now but has seen many chinese lanterns. In the bino's he said the outline of the object was huge and shaped like one of "Richard Branson's" high altitude balloons! The "canopy" that floated away was a fair size. He is really shocked by how it exploded and even reported it to the local rag but hasn't heard back from them.

[Highflight]

Phil, I think I may have the answer, but not actually seeing the 'balloon', I can't actually be sure. There was some kind of 'fete' ahead of the Shoreham air show this week and several mini gas balloons were released. These balloons are about the size of Chinese lanterns but filled with helium and heated by a firelighter underneath. (Similar to a Chinese lantern). Maybe that's what your Dad saw. Either way, they're a damn nuisance.

Hope that helps.

Chris.

[philhas]

Hi Chris,

I think that was too recent although you might be on to something with that, I think the thing that worried him was the explosion and how large it appeared. Maybe one of these balloon's was released nearby at an event and it just looked big in his bino's.

Thanks for the reply