Mysterious red light over Gironde

Summary

On September 17, 2011, a witness in Gironde observed from their balcony a luminous object initially mistaken for a flaming plane. The object, with a reddish glow, was silently moving toward the Bordeaux-Mérignac airport, maintaining an elevation of about 40 degrees. The observation lasted approximately one minute and 15 seconds. Although red lights in motion are common in known phenomena, this case had unusual characteristics: it did not fit the descent of a satellite or any astronomical or atmospheric event. It also did not resemble a flying lantern due to its shape and unexpected directional changes. Despite ruling out several explanations, the hypothesis of an illuminated air balloon or airship cannot be entirely dismissed, especially considering the observation occurred on a Saturday night. However, no evidence of a festive event in the area was found.

The case was classified as C by GEIPAN due to the lack of independent witnesses and additional confirmations. Although the event was somewhat unusual, its unclear nature and the single observation prevented a higher classification. Cases like this, while intriguing, are difficult to resolve without more data.