The Courier
The UK's elite UFO unit has revealed the analysis of a mysterious object seen above Angus.
The 'moon dog' spotted from Arbroath.
Scores of readers reported seeing the white light at 2pm on December 29, before it disappeared a few minutes later.
A deluge of possible explanations flooded in. While many correctly identified it as a cloud, other theories ranged from little green men to top secret military spy planes, or a streak on the lens of the camera that had taken the original shot.
After careful consideration of the image, the British UFO Research Association identified the object as a 'moon dog' — a type of ice cloud that is usually invisible.
Chairman Matt Lyons said: ''The sun setting and position of the moon at the time helped cause more illumination of ice crystals which are generally around in the higher part of the atmosphere, about the same height as air planes cruise at, around the 25-30,000 foot level.
''The official name for a moon dog is a paraselene if seen at 22 degrees. If the image is at 90, 120 or 140 degrees then it's known as a parantiselene.''
Mr Lyons added that moon dogs were the night or sunset/sunrise equivalent to the more common sun dogs, and can have an even halo or concentrated light, with a ghost image on either side.
He said: ''This was undoubtedly one of nature's rare and beautiful sights and shapes in the sky.''
Arbroath man Edward Cairney (59) and his son Ross both spotted the natural phenomenon in the sky above the town.
At that time a spokesman for RAF Leuchars confirmed there had been no activity in the area and nothing unusual had appeared on the radar.
BUFORA has now changed the sighting's status to 'identified'. For information or to report unexplained sightings, visit bufora.org.uk.
