I picked up 6 lanterns in a tiny area of farmland near Hale Barns today with a further 3 caught in trees, out of reach and will be eyesores for the coming few months.

They should be banned in my opinion. Yes, very nice and pretty for all of five minutes until out of sight, but then it is a case of 'out of sight, out of mind' for the people who let them off.

This is the 21st century yet we as a society constantly find novel ways to litter our landscape and deteriorate our environment...
Henry.

Just to interject at this point. The lanterns are 'self-heated' by a small hexi-block which when lit of course, provides the hot air to enable the lightweight system to rise. Whilst a formal study hasn't been done (and why would it currently!), Joey Eccles hit the nail on the head for why it seems certain areas accumulate more than others. That at somes sites they are simply more noticeable than others and also that those are the sites we most often visit and actually actively look, though of course not necessarily for laterns

The last 2 new years days i've had to collect numerous lanterns that have come down on Worsley golf Course. Last Saturday one of my borders got caught in one when the wire got stuck round his body (mind you,he was trying to hide a golf ball in it at the time) but it raises the issue that if a dog can get caught in one,then so can a Fox or other animal. I'd ask people if they find one, then at the least crush the wire rim as small as you can.
My theory is that the heat generated from houses acts as a thermal for the lanterns and when they get over open ground that's when they come down. There are far more that come down on the Golf Course than the surrounding area.

Gary Mills

One flying over Eccles - viewed from the M60 motorway at about 6.00pm today.
Perhaps this will continue to be a problem all year round, with people lighting 'left overs' from New Year

Text or Tweet Prof Brian Cox on BBC Stargazing Live which is on TV in 10 minutes.

Now 30 at the Wigan Flashes, all colours...yes, Rob, I know about hot air rising but some weather condition is making these things land on the ice, as other open areas eg playing fields don't seem to have them...must be some physicist out there who can explain this!

Never seen any untill today....two caught in a huge tree near work

Judith Smith wrote:

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I wonder if the cold air rising from large frozen lakes brings them down?

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Cold air rising, Judith, are you sure about that?
If anything, I would have thought that coming in to contact with cold air should technically improve their ability to fly, as the air inside the lantern would then be even warmer in comparison to the air outside the lantern. But that may be (or is probably) completely wrong, I certainly ain't no scientist...

-- Edited by Rob Thorpe on Tuesday 4th of January 2011 08:14:32 PM

Judith Smith wrote:

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I wonder if the cold air rising from large frozen lakes brings them down?

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Maybe its just because it's an open space where we can see them, so they are more obvious to us?

I wonder if the cold air rising from large frozen lakes brings them down?

Several littering the ice at Audenshaw

They can come in all colours! As far as anything 'official' goes Judith, we obviously acknowledge their fire starting potential (and a few incidents have been suspected as due to them) but have no power to do anything about them without an incredibly long and drawn out process (which may even be on-going, don't forget I just put them out) probably involving those lay-abouts at Westminster!

7 more of these noted at the Wigan Flashes. Possibly more if they come in a coloured form as well!

Another thing to remember with these 'cheapo' lanterns is that the wire in them is also a concern to farmers with cattle. Unsuspecting cows and sheep can easily eat one of these things and cause untold damage to themselves when the wire gets lodged in their gut.

To be honest, I'm sick of seeing them scattered about everywhere. We have a big enough problem with litter as it is and these lanterns only make the matter worse. The same goes for all these charity balloon launches where they let hundreds of balloons loose in one go. They invariably make their way back down to earth somewhere and its been well documented that ones that end up in the sea can be a problem for turtles and seals, etc when they eat them.

Anyway, rant over!!

At least 10 around Chorlton WP/Barlow Tip/Mersey

Mainly red but a few purple ones

Yes Judith i did read your post and it reminded me to bring this issue up. The cheap supermarket alternatives to 'proper' chinese lanterns contain wire/wood and the often coloured paper scars the landscape when they get caught up in trees.
Its a shame that whilst they may look nice when lighted, many don't think of the after effects of them

Joey

-- Edited by Joey Eccles on Sunday 2nd of January 2011 01:15:36 PM

Not that I'm trying to defend them - as I understand it, the 'true' chinese lanterns are made from string and bamboo with rice paper so would be entirely biodigradeable. They (technically) only come down once the burner has burned out. But I must admit to wondering what would happen if one landed on, say, Astley Moss or the moors when we've had a dry period. It only needs a simmering ember and you could have your own little peat fire.

Joey;

I counted six downed ones around Astley and Bedford moss this morning, imagine one landing in a field of dry crops in the middle of summer or on the moors. There's enough litter around without adding a potential incendiary to the landscape.

Presume you've seen my Wigan Flashes post, Joey. Someone somewhere needs to ban these nuisances.

These are becoming an increasing problem - littering the landscape. Can they cause damage to wildlife? Today i counted 12 on my walk - all downed.