SAINT-ROME-DE-TARN (12) 18.12.2016

On Sunday 18 December 2016 at 21:05, 3 people in a public square saw an intense white light move silently through the night sky. It seemed to stop above a building, then move off rapidly, dim and disappear northward into fog. The sighting lasted about 1 minute. Only 1 account was collected, in 2017. A sky lantern is probable: the round shape and very bright white glow fit. It arrived from the northeast, matching the prevailing wind recorded 15 km away that evening (see Infoclimat). The source attributes its irregular movement—stop, turn and acceleration—to variable air currents in a valley near a major river. A weekend night during the Christmas holidays also favors festive releases. GEIPAN classifies the case B: probable sky lantern.