MALLEMORT 2014, A METEOR SHOWER OVER FRANCE

Summary

A witness in Malle-mort (Bouches-du-Rhône) observed a very bright green light followed by an orange trail that crossed the sky in just 3 to 4 seconds. The event, which occurred on February 22, 2014 at 20:10, was classified as a "bolide," a particularly bright meteor. Although several media outlets reported the phenomenon, only this witness officially reported it to the GEIPAN, the French unit responsible for investigating unexplained aerial phenomena. The BOAM camera system did not record anything due to widespread cloud cover across the country, except in the southeast.

GEIPAN classified the case as "B," indicating it was likely the atmospheric entry of a meteoroid. Although no confirmed remains were found, the witness's description and the coincidence with reports in the press suggest it was a common but spectacular astronomical event. These kinds of phenomena, while not unusual, often surprise and intrigue observers, especially when they occur at night and with a dramatic visual impact.