An “otherworldly” pink glow lighting up the sky in Kent left people mystified this week, with some saying it looked like “the end of the world”.

In a scene straight out of a sci-fi movie, confused Thanet locals were left guessing what could have caused the strange illumination.

Sharing the images online, one resident joked: “Thought it was the end of the world, was looking for the four horsemen.”

Another added: “It’s just Zuul from Ghostbusters.”

Identical pink glowing lights have been reported across the country in recent weeks. East Yorkshire locals also took to social media to describe the mystery glow as a sign of extraterrestrial aliens and UFOs.

The reality of the light, however, has a much more reasonable explanation.

Thanet Earth, a large industrial factory located in Birchington, Thanet is responsible for the artificial pink light - which is used to grow 400 million tomatoes.

A spokesperson from Thanet Earth explained: “As a responsible local business, we constantly monitor the way our business effects the community around us and during certain weather conditions there will inevitably be some light that reflects, particularly when there is low dense cloud cover over the Thanet area.

    • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝OPM
      link
      fedilink
      English
      41 year ago

      It is indeed - I can’t see how they can just shrug that off as being a freak of the weather. They turned the sky pink. They need to cover up their greenhouses or something.

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    51 year ago

    It’s not aliens guys!!! There are no aliens! It’s uh…. T-the tomatoes!! (Yeah yeah, tomatoes.) they’re from… uh… Planet- no, Thanet Earth!

    Source: dude trust me.

  • @[email protected]
    link
    fedilink
    English
    31 year ago

    Am I wrong for thinking this looks weirdly beautiful?

    Like, I get it could be argued it’s light pollution. But, u don’t know, I just think its pretty.

    • ᴇᴍᴘᴇʀᴏʀ 帝OPM
      link
      fedilink
      English
      31 year ago

      Not wrong at all. I think the article gets it right first time - it’d definitely feel otherworldly. It’s also pretty and light pollution.

  • @paddirn
    link
    English
    21 year ago

    I saw something like this, though it was more a purple light, in the middle of the day. It was maybe 15 or 20 years ago in central Ohio. Never saw anything like it before or since.