UZES (30) 08.08.2020

On August 8, 2020, at around 9:10 p.m., while they are in the garden of their home in Uzès (Gard), the main witness (T1) and his wife (T2) noticed the presence of a point in the sky. The observation conditions seemed good, with sufficient visibility to distinguish the stars. T1 then made a more detailed observation using binoculars, allowing him to specify the form and behaviour of the UAP. The UAP has a perfectly ovoid shape, of matt black colour, without apparent light emission. It moves at low speed, carrying out slight vertical random movements while following a generally straight path in steps. The observation lasted about fifteen minutes, until the UAP disappeared from the field of vision of the witnesses. The evidential quality* is considered medium: 2 witnesses but only 1 account, and a photograph that proved unusable. However, the testimony remains accurate and reported shortly after observation. *According to the GEIPAN criteria, evidential quality is the amount of information collected for an account that is considered reliable and objectively established. The analysis provided an opportunity to consider the hypothesis of confusion with a novelty balloon carried by light local winds (see investigation report). This conclusion is based on the following: - the shape and colour of the UAP conform to certain models of novelty balloons. - the slow, generally straight, movement at constant speed is compatible with the trajectory of a light object carried by a low-intensity wind. The main perceived strangeness, namely the displacement of the UAP in a direction different from that of the winds felt on the ground by the witnesses, can be explained by differences in location and altitude between the witnesses and the UAP. Indeed, the witnesses are on the ground, in an area surrounded by hills, where the local topography significantly influences the direction and perception of the wind, which is perceived as coming from the north. The analysis, particularly from AROME* data provided by Météo France, confirmed that the UAP was moving in accordance with the general west wind. The observed slow and random vertical movements can be explained by the specific weather conditions at the time of observation, including changes in temperature and humidity during dusk, as well as by the weakness and variability of the wind. The GEIPAN classifies the case as "B", a likely observation of a novelty balloon. AROME (Application of Research to Operations at MEsoscale) is Météo-France’s fine-resolution forecasting model, with a 1.3 km grid.