Luminous phenomenon identified as Venus in Châteaudouble

Summary

In January 1977, two people driving through the Drôme observed a luminous phenomenon initially deemed unexplainable. One witness described movement resembling a shooting star; the other mentioned a rapid maneuver southward. Decades later, a review using modern tools confirmed that Venus was located exactly in the observed direction, with only a few degrees of deviation. The planet's brightness, combined with atmospheric effects such as mist, had produced the confusing perception.