Venus mistaken for a luminous phenomenon at Pierre-Buffière

Summary

In July 1978, several witnesses in Pierre-Buffière, Haute-Vienne, watched a very bright yellow phenomenon that appeared to emit rays for about 15 minutes. One observer used binoculars for a closer look before it disappeared. The exact direction of the sighting and the position of Venus, which was particularly prominent at that time of year, led investigators to conclude it was a conventional astronomical observation with no indication of unidentified activity.