Beaufort en Vallée, stationary UFO in the sky

Summary

On May 6, 1978, around 10:50 PM, several people in Beaufort en Vallée (Maine-et-Loire, France) observed a spherical, orange-colored luminous object in the sky. It emitted irregular light and remained stationary for several minutes before disappearing silently along a south to northwest trajectory. Although it seemed mysterious, researchers concluded it was likely a satellite, whose unusual appearance may have created the impression of an unexplained phenomenon. This case, classified as "B" by the GEIPAN, was not considered an unexplained phenomenon in the strict sense, but it remains interesting due to the clarity of the observations and the duration of the event.