UFO: 1881
what was it?
Daily Gleaner, April 25, 1881
BALLOON OR BALESTAR ?
To the Editor of the Gleaner.
Sir - A remarkable appearance in the sky was seen on the evening of the 13th instant by several persons near Moneague.
I am indebted to Mr. John Braham for an account of it, but I would be glad of further information from others.
It appeared as a dark red circular object as large as the moon; at 7 p. m. it was near the E.N.E. part of the horizon, as seen from Moneague, and it moved below the horizon in that direction.
It was not seen here, and the only explanation I can give at present is that it was a Fire-balloon sent up from some place in that district.
Yours truly
MAXWELL HALL
Montego Bay, April 22nd.
No other witnesses seem to have come forward.
There is little about fire balloons in Jamaica in the 1880s, but an advert for the 1891 Exhibition shows they were known in some form. If such a balloon was the basis of this sighting, it would not be the last time this error occurred.
BALESTAR/BALE-STAR:
The word 'balestar' proved very elusive! My dictionaries and the Web proved useless for a definition, but I did find the word used once or twice. Bale = evil/menace, so an 'evil star' would be a comet which even into the present day is believed to foretell disaster.
lights in the sky
