LANCON-PROVENCE (13) 19.12.2015

On 19 December 2015 at 20:17, a witness alerted by his son saw a large, slightly ovoid ball shimmering vivid orange in the distance. It approached, then appeared as a broad V with small evenly spaced lights. He took 3 photographs. It passed directly overhead silently, following a straight path before rising slightly as it receded, dimmed and disappeared. His son saw 3 distinct phenomena. Only 1 account was collected. Orange balls crossing the sky over a few minutes on a weekend night strongly suggest sky lanterns, probably released nearby after a private party shortly before the end-of-year holidays. The source describes movement from the southwest as compatible with a southwesterly wind measured at Salon-de-Provence, but also gives the Infoclimat wind direction as 110°, at 6–11 km/h; these direction descriptions are inconsistent. The sole usable photograph is out of focus, a common problem in such night photography, and shows only a blurred orange circle. It nevertheless confirms a real luminous phenomenon with a lantern-compatible color. GEIPAN considers that the witness's aviation-based distance estimate cannot be accurate because he had never seen this kind of object. It explains that lanterns' low intrinsic brightness, comparable to a large candle flame, leads witnesses to place them too far away and consequently overestimate size and speed (see “Estimating the size and distance of an unknown phenomenon”). Steady movement is normal for objects in a light wind. Lanterns released one after another at similar intervals, corresponding to burner-lighting time, form an orderly line of flying lights. The source reiterates that intuitively comparing their low brightness with aircraft lights can make them seem much farther away and faster. GEIPAN classifies the case B: probable sky-lantern observation.