DE CHARTRES (28) VERS CAEN (14) 31.08.2012

A 2012 sighting was reported to GEIPAN in 2015. On 31 August 2012, a passenger traveling by car from Chartres (28) to Caen (14) noticed a very bright fiery-yellow phenomenon low on the horizon. It seemed to move along with the car. He took a photograph. The driver also saw it, but only 1 questionnaire was collected. Neither the account nor the investigation established the exact road or location. GEIPAN identifies a parhelion, or sundog, from its appearance, brightness and color; the low Sun and phenomenon at the same elevation; clouds favorable to the effect; a characteristic trail; and angular separation from the Sun matching the small halo associated with a parhelion. See the investigation report. GEIPAN concludes the phenomenon was very certainly a parhelion and classifies the case as A: definite observation of a sundog.