Luminous phenomenon in the French sky in 2012

Summary

On January 31, 2012, several witnesses in the Occitanie region observed a bright, colorful object moving rapidly across the sky. Detailed accounts came from Calmont and Castelnaudary, with the testimony from Calmont prompting a specific investigation. Experts determined the event did not match any known space debris or satellite re-entry. The REFORME network, specialized in meteor observation, classified it as a natural meteoroid. The short observation time—less than 10 seconds—indicated a speed exceeding 7 km/s, typical of natural meteoroids entering the atmosphere. This case was categorized as type B by the GEIPAN, suggesting a likely atmospheric entry of a natural meteoroid.