Astronomer has down-to-earth explanation after couple report lights in sky

Tauranga Astronomical Society president Stuart Murray said Tuesday was a particularly fascinating night as both "Venus and Jupiter were in a straight line. Photo / George Novak

Unexplained lights that were spotted by a Welcome Bay couple on Tuesday night were the configuration of the planets and aircraft lights, an astronomer says.

Tracey and John Daintith said they noticed a trio of lights at 8.15pm on Falcon Drive that were "quite large, the same size and an equal distance apart".

Mrs Daintith likened the lights to those on the front of a motorbike that "didn't glisten, they were just glowing and bright".

The left-hand light moved slowly away while the right hand one did exactly the same movement, Mrs Daintith said.

Tauranga Astronomical Society committee member David Greig said he was at the observatory looking at the western horizon at the time.

"I was actually standing looking at one of the planes as it was approaching with its headlights on. Then all of a sudden the second one turned its headlights on and appeared out of nowhere and it was extremely bright."

It was a configuration of four very bright lights and Venus, they were definitely aircraft and planets, he said.

"When people see aircraft they are expecting to see them flying across the sky. But when they are flying straight towards you from, say a couple of hundred kilometres away, if they have their headlights on they will just appear to hang in the sky."