MARSOLAN (32) 01.01.2015

On 1 January 2015 at about 01:00, several family members in Marsolan (32) saw 5 luminous spheres in a clear sky, one bright red and the others bright orange. They moved silently, changing position and rising and falling before disappearing one after another eastward. Only 1 account was collected. GEIPAN considers orange balls crossing the sky in a few minutes on a major festive night suggestive of sky lanterns, probably released nearby after a private party. However, the southwest-to-east motion does not fit the light southerly wind recorded at Auch, 30 km away; see Météociel. Their markedly variable altitude is also atypical, perhaps related to that night's -4°C cold. Because local wind is uncertain and there are no photographs or additional witnesses beyond the reporting group, GEIPAN classifies the case as C for lack of weather information and corroboration.