PAUILLAC (33) 29.12.2014

On 29 December at 18:30, a witness saw a white disc apparently descending through the sky, photographed it and asked GEIPAN for an explanation. Analysis of the image’s timing and light points established that the photograph was actually taken at about 18:05. The ‘star’ indicated by the witness is a hot or dead sensor pixel at coordinates 1774, 883. It is sharply defined, fluorescent green and appears at the same position in later photographs (see DSC_0003_photo_test_pixel.jpg). The larger light near the horizon labelled ‘and this?’ is Venus. GEIPAN states that no other celestial object except possibly Mars was visible at that time. The case is classified A: observation of Venus.