Southern coast of England — 18 December 1707
Huge cylinder
A huge cylinder and an odd cloud moved along with nocturnal lights, low on the horizort? The phenomenon was described by “the Worshipful Charles Kirkham, Esq.” as “a long dark Cloud of a Cylindrical Figure which lay horizontally, and seemed to divide the Brightness into two almost Equal Parts. It had little or no motion, tho’ the Wind blow’d brisk. But on a sudden there appear’d a swelling Brightness in that Cylindric Cloud, which broke out into Flames of a pale-coloured Fire.” The flames lasted less than half a minute, with “the Cloud from whence they proceeded still keeping its first Position, and not diminish’d. It was wonderfully frightful and amazing.”
Source: Rev. John Morton, Natural History of Northamptonshire (1712), 349-350. Case: W269