AUENHEIM (67) 12.03.2012

On 12 March 2012 at 20:00, a witness on his terrace in Auenheim (67) saw 3 burgundy-red, cross-shaped objects cross a clear sky from west towards north. The sighting lasted only a few seconds. At 22:50 he returned outside with his partner, and both saw 5 objects move north to east before trees and houses in the estate quickly hid them. Only 1 account was collected. Red objects moving in a group suggest sky lanterns released for a celebration. Météociel records at Strasbourg, 40 km away, showed weak variable wind from northeast, north and northwest. GEIPAN notes that the northeastward movement described in its analysis fits the wind poorly, but the wind was weak and variable and no very local record was available, so it cannot formally exclude lanterns. A Monday is an unusual day for celebrations, and the reported cross shape also weakens that explanation. Air-traffic information shows no aircraft matching the sighting. GEIPAN received no other report in the area that day. Without precise weather data or corroboration, GEIPAN classifies the case C.