[A20] DE GRACAY (18) VERS CHATEAUROUX (36) 25.04.2021

On 25 April 2021 at about 04:30, a driver with a work colleague as passenger was taking an A20 motorway slip road toward Vierzon (18) when a large, round yellow light with orange at its center appeared suddenly. The case title describes the route as Graçay (18) toward Châteauroux (36), whereas the narrative specifies the slip road toward Vierzon. The light seemed low, at the height of wind turbines a few hundred meters away or behind them. It appeared to move slowly left to right, then depart north-northeast at tremendous speed and disappear. Only the driver reported to GEIPAN. His detailed account and its agreement with data from 6 FRIPON cameras identify a fireball; see the investigation report. He found it unusual because he perceived a large object changing speed and direction without a trail and did not recognize it. After analysis, GEIPAN considers the strangeness low: a fireball was recorded by several FRIPON cameras in that area at that time. The evidential basis is good, with a precise account and wind turbines providing useful reconstruction landmarks. GEIPAN classifies the case A: observation of a fireball.