It is almost one o’clock on Saturday morning when I am awakened by the following text from my brother:

‘About half an hour ago dandered out to gate when saw a burning light in sky, travelling roughly from south to north, but ultimately veering away to the north-west. I thought I was seeing things, but then two more appeared.’

I texted back, inquiring as to his sobriety. Back came this:

‘Returned indoors and asked Mum to take a look out the window. Together we saw another five of these burning objects ... what are they?’

In other words, he may have had a few drinks but our mother was a reliable witness to these remarkable events in the skies over Lurgan.

A few minutes and a chat with Inspector Google later, my brother texts again:

‘Someone on the Cregagh Road in Belfast saw something similar in May’.

And, a few more minutes later, this:

‘After all those years of watching The X Files and wishing that I too could have an extra-terrestrial experience, it’s finally happened! They are definitely out there.’

Hereafter followed a lengthy text from him, pondering why a) he should have been the first one to see them on Saturday night and — yes, you’ve guessed — b) was it pure coincidence, or were they (whoever they are) waiting for him, specifically, to come outdoors?

Finally, on Sunday morning, exhilaration clearly giving way to something altogether less confident, this arrives from my brother:

‘But who are they? And what do they want?’

I have no idea. But I do know my brother, backed up by my mum, saw something extremely strange, the sort of wonderment that will be talked of for years to come: The Night of the Eight Strange Glowing Globes in the Sky.

Anyone out there with any explanation as to what this could be, please get in touch.

Especially, of course, if you travel in a strange glowing globe.