UFO in Loiret 1979, mystery solved with the Moon

Summary

In June 1979, four people in a car witnessed a reddish phenomenon appearing to descend from the sky near Saint-Florent. They described it as an elongated shape, like a drop or a banana, with no sound or flashing lights. Confused, they decided to return to alert the gendarmerie. Upon arriving at the location, the officers found no immediate traces, but the next day they discovered a 1.60m diameter circle of hot ashes. The initial hypothesis pointed to a brush fire, but the GEIPAN reviewed the case and concluded it was a misinterpretation of the setting Moon. The position, color, and shape matched perfectly with the lunar crescent on the horizon, even though the witnesses didn't recognize it.

Modern reexamination revealed that the Moon, at the time of the observation, was exactly where the phenomenon was described. Its reddish hue and elongated shape aligned with the witnesses' accounts, and its azimuth matched the direction of the road. Although the witnesses didn't mention the Moon, it was visible in the horizon. The mystery wasn't due to a faulty perception, but rather an interpretation influenced by context: fatigue, driving, and fear. The GEIPAN classifies this case as a "misidentification" with the Moon, solving a mystery over forty years old.