Venus confusion resolved decades later in Marolles-les-Saint-Calais

Summary

On November 21, 1978, shortly after 6:15 AM, two witnesses in Sarthe observed a circular, red luminous phenomenon that slowly rose from the horizon and then shrank in size. Gendarmes arrived at 8:00 but found no physical evidence. Venus was suggested, but doubt lingered because the planet did not rise until 6:29.

The case was re-examined in 2013 with modern tools and greater expertise. Analysis ultimately confirmed it was an astronomical observation. Though initially classified as type A, the reassessment proved Venus was the correct explanation—an example of how current technology can shed new light on old reports.