BRIANCON (05) 10.03.2013

At 00:30 on Sunday 10 March 2013, a witness in Briançon (05) saw a bright red light above Fort de l'Infernet moving slowly without unusual sound. It disappeared while moving away eastward, where he noticed a very bright star. No additional accounts were collected. GEIPAN's astronomical check suggested the star was Vega rising in the northeast as the witness looked east. Météociel had no local weather record that evening. Bourg-Saint-Maurice recorded very light, variable winds, and GEIPAN suggested Briançon might have had similar conditions. The detailed, precise description fitted a sky lantern. GEIPAN associated a bright yellow part with its paraffin burner, which it says normally burns for 3–10 minutes, exceptionally 20. A Saturday-to-Sunday night was typical for such sightings. The object's motion did not match the wind the witness felt. GEIPAN explains that surface and low-altitude winds can differ, especially in light winds in mountain valleys. Temporary disappearance could have been an obstruction by a building or pole, and final disappearance the burner going out. The case was classified B: probable observation of a sky lantern.