Some UFO websites have described it as irrefutable proof. One person posting online said: "New Zealand news reported that the unknown object was travelling at a speed 150 times faster than a normal jet. "This is the first time in history that a piece of technology has gathered irrefutable proof of extraterrestrials. "Most sightings involve UFOs hovering in place, however, the New Zealand sighting is unique due to the fact that it is moving, quite fast.  "At such speeds, the craft can easily outrun even the most advanced military aircraft."

UFO blogger Scott C Waring was also excited. In a post on his website ufosightingsdaily.com, he wrote: "I checked the FAA site just now for the plane ID ZED-KG-DG, but it does not exist on their records. Similar Case: 2 of August 2011

They watched the light for about five minutes, and once it had disappeared began questioning whether or not it was a UFO.

"I just thought it was a bright orange light in the sky and then it started moving towards us," Mr White said. "After it flew past, there were half a dozen adults there, we all considered it could have been a UFO. Nobody had seen anything like that before."

Each witness could make out flashing lights on the object as it made its way across the sky.

Soon afterwards, Fraser Duncan, a graphics tutor from the Eastern Institute of Technology, said he was "stunned" when he saw four orange lights crossing the sky above Napier just before 10pm. The lights were flying soundlessly in formation towards the South Island. "I have never seen anything like this in my life. It was definitely not a plane, not a meteor and not stars."

To add to the mystery, a TVNZ cameraman who filmed the 1978 UFO sightings near Kaikoura reported seeing the unexplained lights at 10.30pm the same night.

Lloyd McFadden, then 27, filmed the lights near Kaikoura.

Sunday night's sighting happened above his home in Redwood, Christchurch. He said he saw 10 lights travelling slowly in formation, without any noise.

"There was absolutely no sound and they were flying too slow to be an aircraft. I would really like to know what they were."

The lights were similar to the unexplained Kaikoura lights that he filmed more than 30 years ago.

"I couldn't give an explanation about what they were, but I would dearly love to know. I think it would more likely be a natural phenomenon or have something to do with earthquake activity than aliens from outer space."

Mr McFadden's wife Ina also saw the lights.

"All you could see was orangey and reddish lights, like fireballs. They were moving at a steady pace and went right over the top of us. There was no noise at all.

"I don't know what it would be, but there was something there and I hadn't even been drinking."

Mr McFadden believed the objects were moving about 20kmh to 30kmh, and were about 1000 metres above their house.

But Canterbury Astronomical Society observatory director Adrian Kelly said the sightings would probably have been satellites. "I am certainly saying they were satellites. They are travelling on straight trajectories in an arc."