[D940] DE LAMARQUE-PONTACQ (65) VERS LOURDES (65) 13.02.2011

On Sunday 13 February 2011 at 06:07, a motorist on the D940 between Lamarque-Pontacq and Lourdes (65) saw an orange ball moving slowly just above the horizon, with fluctuating brightness. At home he continued watching with his camera's zoom. The whole observation lasted about 30 minutes. Only 1 account was collected. Using the road's course, calculations show that the viewing direction remained roughly constant at azimuth 130°; see map diagrams 1 and 2. Astronomical checks place extremely bright Venus there. GEIPAN explains that confusion is common when a planet is low on the horizon, seeming close and above the landscape. Colour changes and perceived details resulted from atmospheric scintillation, particularly strong and variable near the horizon, as at sunset. The case is classified A: observation of Venus.