Tournus 1984 bright objects in the sky

Summary

In July 1984, several witnesses in Tournus (France) observed bright objects in the night sky. These objects emitted red and green flashes, and their positions changed night after night. The observations took place after very hot days and under clear skies. Although the witnesses initially thought they were seeing something unexplained, investigators concluded that they most likely observed the Perseids, a known meteor shower that occurs at that time of year in that part of the sky.

The constellation of Perseus, where the observations were located, is well known for hosting this type of astronomical event. Although the witnesses did not immediately recognize the phenomenon, the coincidence with the Perseids and the astronomical context make this explanation reasonable and consistent with the available data. This case was classified by the GEIPAN as category B, indicating that there were not enough elements to consider it an unexplained phenomenon.