Chars (95) 19.01.2009

Summary

On January 19, 2009, a witness in Val-d'Oise noticed a bright yellow light moving across the sky, which split into several distinct yellow and red glows. The phenomenon quickly faded within 10 to 15 seconds. Although the witness initially thought it might be a UFO, investigators concluded it was likely a fireball, such as a meteor or space debris entering the atmosphere. The GEIPAN classified this case as B, indicating a probable natural or space-related event.

The witness's description, though brief, included key details that help rule out common explanations like airplanes or artificial lights. The splitting of the light into multiple glows and its rapid disappearance are consistent with a meteor or a piece of space debris. These types of events, while unusual to the casual observer, are common in the atmosphere and often go unnoticed. The GEIPAN categorizes such cases to distinguish the unexplained from phenomena with known causes.