More than a dozen people have contacted the Harborough Mail since we reported last week how Kay Knight and her husband Bob had seen three yellowish lights in the sky above Harborough on Saturday, February 24.
And Mike Hodkin, of the Headlands, filmed the strange lights on his handheld camcorder.
He brought his film to The Mail, and, thanks to the expertise of Computer Solutions in St Mary's Road, we put it on our website. People from as far afield as the US have contacted us to discuss the phenomenon.
Today, however, we can lay the conspiracy theories to rest – the mysterious orbs were Chinese lanterns set off to celebrate a 30th birthday bash.
Eileen and Pascal Tristram, of Lubenham Hill, bought the lanterns to launch at their daughter Bella's birthday party.
They remained unaware of the controversy they had caused until contacted by the Mail this week.
Dog-walker Amanda Harrison, who witnessed the celebrations, had tipped us off about the truth.
Eileen Tristram said: "We had just finished eating and I said to my daughter that we had a surprise for her birthday.
"It was about 11.30pm so we went out to the garden and launched six lanterns.
"The next thing I knew they were up in the air and they looked so fantastic.
"I saw the police helicopter overhead and I thought 'I hope we don't cause a furore.'"
The three-foot tall lanterns work like small hot-air balloons with a wick providing heat to get them airborne.
Because of the height they can reach, they are not allowed to be launched within five miles of an airport.
They were first used for communication in China thousands of years ago but have become popular in Britain in recent years as a safe alternative to fireworks at parties and festivals.
Mrs Tristram said: "To find out we had caused such a fuss was comical but I can see how they were mistaken for something else because they are impressive.
"It has been quite funny and a lot of entertainment for everybody."
During the very first seconds of his footage you might be able to make out the blurry shape of a tree on the left and his garden fence along the bottom.
The footage is very weak to start but gets better.
The lights were moving slowly and steadily across the night sky, but it was difficult for Mr Hodkin to focus on them and keep the camera steady at the same time.