Black Ball Observed in France

Summary

On September 17, 2012, a witness in the Marne region of France observed a black ball in the sky that appeared stationary. The object was quite low on the horizon, and the witness partially circled it, suggesting it was relatively close. Despite the light wind (10 to 20 km/h), it didn't seem sufficient to keep a kite airborne. The spherical shape of the object suggested a balloon, possibly filled with helium. Due to the cloudy conditions, a thermal balloon was not a viable explanation. The GEIPAN classified the case as "B", indicating it was likely a festive balloon.