Follower-ball phenomenon in Sarthe

Summary

On October 2, 1977, several motorists across the Sarthe department spotted a round, slightly flattened object glowing orange. Initially classified as unexplained by SEPRA, the case was revisited in 2013 after a web user proposed an explanation validated by GEIPAN: a well-known 'follower ball' effect, where a celestial body at a fixed bearing appears to track a moving observer. The consistent testimonies came from two independent groups who reported separately to the gendarmerie.