BEAUVOISIN (26) 06.02.2017

On 6 February 2017 at about 20:45, a woman driving noticed a very intense light in the sky. Once home, she continued watching the stationary light through binoculars. The observation lasted 45 minutes, after which she went to visit friends. The following evening at about 19:45, she saw the same phenomenon again, slightly higher in the sky. Only 1 account was collected. GEIPAN considers the description characteristic of a celestial object: the observation was long, 45 minutes, with little or no movement; and the UAP appeared on 2 successive evenings in a sufficiently similar position and appearance for the witness to describe it as the same phenomenon: ‘I noticed the same very bright object in the sky that I saw yesterday.’ GEIPAN identifies it as Venus, which was present westward, slightly towards the southwest, rather than northwest as the witness stated. Analysis of her photograph established its position relative to the terrain more precisely and confirmed the match with Venus. Her account of its position an hour earlier the following day also matches Venus, higher and farther south. The attached document reconstructs this. GEIPAN explains that Venus is brighter than the stars. Its colours can vary and change because of atmospheric effects: it is often near the horizon and therefore viewed through a thick layer of atmosphere. The case is classified A: observation of Venus.