Orange lights moving in Poitiers

Summary

On September 5, 2009, around midnight, two witnesses in Poitiers observed four bright orange lights moving from north to south. The phenomenon lasted about five minutes and no sound was heard during the observation. The lights disappeared toward the west along an ascending trajectory. The description matched that of traditional Thai lanterns, a conventional explanation that fit the witnesses' accounts.

Although the case was classified as "B" by the GEIPAN (indicating a likely explanation), the absence of noise and the precision of the visual description generated some curiosity. The lights did not behave like typical aircraft or other common aerial objects. However, the match with the characteristics of Thai lanterns—known for their brightness and ascending path—allowed investigators to close the case with a plausible explanation.