BOUZONVILLE (57) 13.09.1997

GEIPAN continues to publish its complete archives at www.geipan.fr, including older class-C cases now re-examined solely to improve the conclusions. New software and accumulated investigative experience sometimes lead to new observations or reclassification, explained in an investigation note. SEPRA originally classified this case C in 1997. On 13 September 1997 at 22:00, a witness on his balcony saw a very bright point beside the Moon. He filmed it and found that the UAP moved very rapidly and seemed to circle the Moon. At 22:30 he still saw it in the same place. No copy of the recording was supplied to GEIPAN. The source considers the case well supported, with 1 witness and a filmed UAP, and a very precise description. The witness's sincerity and credibility were never questioned. Duration, shape, size, color and position match Jupiter. Jupiter was indeed present to the Moon's left, but the witness did not separately identify it. Camera motion can explain the reported UAP movements. GEIPAN attributes the misidentification to the witness's interpretation—shaped by surprise, nighttime viewing and interpretation of a video—rather than to his visual perception itself. GEIPAN now classifies this low-strangeness case A: misidentification of Jupiter.