AUVERS (43) 17.08.1980

On Sunday 17 August 1980 at about 22:00, 2 witnesses at a forest house noticed a very bright phenomenon to the west. Through binoculars, it looked like a large crescent projecting intense rays of light. They drove out to see it more closely and continued watching the crescent, which seemed to move rapidly and follow their vehicle. Frightened, they turned around and returned home. The light appeared to stop, then disappeared. No traces were found on the ground or vegetation, and no other witness provided further information. This formerly category D case was recently reexamined (see the investigation notes). The evidence is good, with 2 witnesses and reasonably precise descriptions of the location and UAP. Their sincerity and credibility were never questioned. The duration, shape, size and color closely match the setting Moon. The Moon was present in the observed part of the sky, yet the witnesses did not mention it separately. GEIPAN attributes the misidentification to interpretation influenced by fatigue, anxiety and fear rather than faulty visual perception. Under GEIPAN's current classification, this case of low strangeness is classified A: misidentification of the Moon.