[AERO] de LIMA (PE.LIM) vers ROISSY-EN-FRANCE (95) 01.09.2023

During a Lima–Paris flight over the Atlantic on 1 September 2023, the airline pilot T1 and copilot T2 observed 2 luminous objects moving straight ahead at a low angular elevation of 0°–2°. T1 initially thought they were the lights of maneuvering aircraft, but the objects seemed to become more distant. Their elevation increased to about 12°, creating the impression of a much higher altitude. Their brightness gradually decreased until they could no longer be seen. The observation lasted more than half an hour. GEIPAN assesses the case as low in strangeness and medium in evidential quality: several witnesses, but only 1 account and no UAP photograph. Under its criteria, evidential quality is the amount of information collected for an account that is considered reliable and objectively established. GEIPAN identifies Starlink satellite flares. The description fits this phenomenon: rapid brightness changes sometimes reaching Venus's brightness, apparent movements of a few degrees, and confinement to the same part of the sky. A Stellarium check confirms the necessary conditions for flares from Starlink satellites in operational orbit: sightings above the direction of the Sun when it is 30°–45° below the observer's horizon. This is explained in GEIPAN's news note, “New phenomenon explained: Starlink satellite flashes.” Only the witness's azimuth of 82° fails to match, differing by about 20°. However, the reference stars in the supplied sketch are probably Castor and Pollux in Gemini, directly above the Sun's apparent position at azimuth 60°. GEIPAN classifies the case A: Starlink satellite flares.