HANDSCHUHEIM (67) 07.06.2014

On 7 June 2014 between 02:00 and 04:00, a person in Handschuheim (67) was surprised by lights in the night sky. The observation comprised 3 phases. Just after 02:30, 3 objects moved south to north. The attached Calsky listing gives several candidates at that time: IGS02, Cosmos 1782 Rocket and NOS 3-6 rocket, using the source's designations. Two flashing objects moved south to northwest and north to south. Several satellites could have followed those paths. GEIPAN explains that rotating satellites can reflect sunlight intermittently. Aircraft were also possible, with anti-collision lights flashing once per second. After 03:15, a light described as gigantic appeared in the west and disappeared toward the south. Calsky listed the ISS as visible that day from 03:16, rising in the west, more precisely west-northwest, until 03:22, disappearing toward the south, more precisely southeast. GEIPAN finds the description gigantic surprising for a light only as bright as Venus, but suggests nighttime viewing might explain it. It classifies the case as B: probable observation of satellites and the International Space Station. The source further suggests that overnight viewing can encourage overinterpretation of celestial phenomena, especially by people it regards as emotional, and applies that characterization tentatively to this witness.