People across Ireland have been left puzzled by an "unusual object" spotted in the sky for two consecutive nights. Two flashing objects appeared side by side over Dublin's night sky on Wednesday, while a single flashing light was seen off the south coast on Tuesday night. Alan O'Reilly from Carlow Weather shared his confusion on social media, asking for help in identifying the strange "UFOs." He posted: "I received two videos from followers showing an unusual object in the sky over the last two nights. The first part is from last night over Dublin, and the second is from the night before off the south coast." "Does anyone have any ideas?" he asked. Followers came up with various suggestions. Some believed the objects might be the International Space Station, while others thought they could be lanterns in the sky. One person commented: "Low-orbit satellites are very common. I’ve seen three or four in a row passing over Dublin, probably Starlink satellites." Another speculated: "It's the International Space Station. It moves incredibly fast. I was freaked out the first time I saw it without knowing what it was." A third agreed, saying: "Most likely the International Space Station. It passed over Ireland at 7:13 PM on Tuesday." Another follower shared a similar experience: "I received a notification that the International Space Station was passing, so I went outside and saw it clearly. Later, I got another notification and saw it again!" One person added: "The sky is full of lights moving in straight lines across the night sky in predictable arcs. Over 7,000 Starlink satellites alone, along with the ISS." However, not everyone agreed with the satellite theory. Some had different explanations for the strange lights. One person remarked: "They often turn out to be flying lanterns. They look very strange from a distance." Another mentioned: "I saw a bright orange light south of Celbridge. I thought it was a lantern, but it didn’t seem to be moving much." Lastly, one person suggested: "The flash of light you saw wasn’t a UFO . It was swamp gas from a weather balloon trapped in a thermal pocket, reflecting the light from Venus." The acronym UFO, standing for Unidentified Flying Object, has been a staple in our lexicon for years, referring to any unexplained sighting in the sky. However, more recently, the term UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) has gained traction among government and military circles. UAPs encompass any unusual airborne objects, including those picked up by radar or infrared sensors, not just those visible to the naked eye. While both terms are often used synonymously, UAP is intended to be a broader, more scientifically neutral term. Online searches for "UFO sightings" have surged by 55.4% from January 2024 to January 2025, reflecting a growing public fascination with these mysterious events.