Neuville-aux-Bois 2011, bright light in the sky

Summary

A witness in Neuville-aux-Bois observed a bright white light on May 25, 2011 at 2:09 AM. The light moved in a straight line toward the south and then southeast for about five seconds. No sound was heard during the observation. Investigators concluded it was likely an airplane approaching to land at Orléans or Orly with its landing light on. When a plane is viewed directly, it appears as a fixed bright point, making it hard to estimate distance. Landing lights are visible for over 10 km in a straight line. If the plane changes course, the light shifts sideways and fades as it moves out of the observer's line of sight. The lack of noise is not surprising if the witness misjudged the distance, which is common when only seeing a bright point in the dark. This case was classified as "B", meaning a probable airplane sighting.