Boulogne-Billancourt 2012, sighting of a luminous object

Summary

In September 2012, a witness in Boulogne-Billancourt observed a white, blinking object at high altitude. The object paused briefly before continuing its trajectory eastward. Initially thought to be affected by wind, meteorological data ruled out a low-altitude object. An hour before the sighting, Météo-France had launched a weather balloon from Trappes. The upper-level winds matched the observed direction, and the blinking could be explained by the balloon's rotation or reflectors. The GEIPAN classified the case as resolved, attributing the sighting to a weather balloon launched by Météo-France.