Fireball observed in France on 23 December 2008

Summary

On 23 December 2008, several witnesses across different regions of France observed a brief luminous phenomenon in the night sky. Four testimonies were collected, all describing a bright object lasting between one and a few seconds. Although azimuth and elevation data varied, the intersection of these observations suggested the object likely entered the atmosphere near northern Spain. A notable discrepancy was the direction of movement: one witness reported a north-south trajectory, while the other three indicated east-west. Such inconsistencies are common in fireball observations due to the event's brevity. Additionally, three witnesses placed the observation near 22:00, while one mentioned 21:00. After seven years, it was no longer possible to clarify these differences. The GEIPAN classified the case as B, meaning a likely fireball observation.