SAINT-HILAIRE (11) 26.08.2012

On Sunday 26 August 2012 at 22:07, a witness saw a white light pass rapidly and silently through the sky. GEIPAN received 1 questionnaire and emails from other southwestern witnesses. The luminous ball crossed part of the sky in 1 second, suggesting atmospheric entry of a natural meteoroid, producing a fireball. GEIPAN received 3 other simultaneous accounts from Agen (47), Toulouse (31) and Martel (46); Futura-Sciences also listed several sightings. The source explains that these events occur at about 80–30 km altitude and can therefore be seen over an area roughly 500 km across, while witnesses perceive them as nearby (see “A fireball?”). GEIPAN classifies the case A: fireball from natural meteoroid atmospheric entry.