Searchlight in the sky

[tog]

I got home late on Saturday night (about 2 in the morning) and saw this searchlight beam shining up into the sky, so drove up to the top of the hill to take a picture. It's hard to judge distance, but is was somewhere off to the west of Marlborough. Does anyone have any idea where it was, or why it was there? Would you need CAA approval to shine such a ruddy great light in the sky?

Edited by tog on Monday 19th October 11:08

[RemaL]

I have a 18 million candle power huge light I got a few years ago and it's bloody bright just like that. could be kids?

was it still? or moving about. ?

[tog]

Completely still. It was there for at least 45 minutes from when I first saw it to when I got home again after photographing it and went to bed.

[Luckyluciano]

Batman?

[bob1179]

That is such a cool picture, do you have a higher resolution version? It would make a great wallpaper.

No idea what the light was though.

[tog]

How big do you want? It's a bit grainy bigger as it was turned up to 1600 ISO so the stars don't blur too much!

[Xenocide]

I'd like a big version too please!

2000x<scaled> please

[Obiwonkeyblokey]

has anyone seen my torch?

[White Lightning]

That pic is A) very cool and B) Asking to be photoshopped with some sort of UFO. lol

Oh and sorry no idea wot it is.............I know RAF Lyneham has an old search light that was used for checking cloud base tho..........

[Red 938]

Some night clubs use search lights like this in Newquay, may have been a rave or something similar, either that or little green men now live up the road from you

[wessexrfc]

Tog, that is a great photo, got to be worth entering it into some pic competition, local Beeb love that sort of thing, go for it, see what happens!!!

[bob1179]

tog said:

How big do you want? It's a bit grainy bigger as it was turned up to 1600 ISO so the stars don't blur too much!

I'd love it big enough to act as a wallpaper for my laptop if that's possible (sorry for sounding a little dense, I have no idea what that is in 'pixels' or whatever).

It's just such a great pic!

[Dr Dave]

I'd get in touch with the local rag, see if they can unearth anything.

[robocop]

Marlborough MOP was on that night I think, which included a fun fair etc in main High Street, and stuff going on on the playing fields at the College (which is west side of town)

Maybe connected

rgds
Robo

[choptop]

bob1179 said:

That is such a cool picture, do you have a higher resolution version? It would make a great wallpaper.

No idea what the light was though.

Would make a great wallpaper as already said. Do you have a bigger image?

[tog]

choptop said:

bob1179 said:

That is such a cool picture, do you have a higher resolution version? It would make a great wallpaper.

No idea what the light was though.

Would make a great wallpaper as already said. Do you have a bigger image?

PM me

[TimCrighton]

Hey Tog. Did you ever work out what it was?

Where abouts are you based, must be fairly close to me I think (St Katharines in the Savernake) as we spotted it from here too on the way back from Hungerford but I assumed that it was someone lamping or late night farming. Didn't realise it was still for that long. Great photo though

[tog]

No I never did. I've looked at the OS map to try and work out the bearings, and (without going back up to where I took the photo with a compass to measure it accurately) it could have been coming from either Rockley, where I know there is a Manor hired out for parties and weddings, or possibly from Avebury.

[TimCrighton]

Shame, would be fascinated to know what it was! I suspect as you say it was probably a big party or something. I know the Marl. Mop can get a bit crazy, but I'm not sure the Police have resorted to search lights just yet!!

[icraigmy]

Luckyluciano said:

Batman?

Priceless !