CHAMBERY (73) 06.07.2015

On 6 July 2015 at 22:45, 2 people saw 15–20 luminous points pass through the clear sky. The pinkish-orange points formed a line and moved silently towards Aix-les-Bains. The sighting lasted about 10–15 seconds. Only 1 account was collected. GEIPAN considers orange balls crossing the sky in less than a minute on a summer night strongly suggestive of sky lanterns, probably released nearby after a private celebration. The observed movement from south to north matches the southerly wind recorded at Chambéry–Aix-les-Bains. Météociel’s records for that day show a light southerly wind of 2–9 km/h at Chambéry. GEIPAN states that the witness’s distance estimate cannot be accurate because he had never seen this type of object. It explains that sky lanterns, whose intrinsic brightness is low and comparable to a large candle flame, are always perceived as farther away, hence larger and faster, than they really are. The GEIPAN website’s article on estimating the size and distance of an unfamiliar phenomenon discusses this. Very steady movement is normal for objects carried by a light wind; their paths become irregular if they pass over industrial areas with strong ventilation or major heat sources. Lanterns are often released one after another at similar intervals determined by the time needed to light each burner, producing a very orderly line of flying lights. GEIPAN considers the videos mentioned by the witness entirely consistent with sky-lantern releases.