Bright light in the sky in France 2017

Summary

On January 13, 2017, a driver in France observed a bright white light in the clear sky. The light disappeared for about 15 to 20 seconds and then reappeared more intensely. The witness, driving at the time, noticed little apparent movement and suggested the light might be a reflection of the sun on airplanes. He was surprised by the lack of motion but admitted it was hard to judge movement from the road. The GEIPAN team concluded that the phenomenon was likely a mirror effect of sunlight on aircraft. The geometry of the situation was favorable: planes were flying in the same direction as the observer and heading toward the sun. This created an almost perfect alignment between the sun, the planes, and the witness. The interruption in the light could be due to the effect shifting between different aircraft. A reconstruction showed that two planes were involved, one further south and distant, which explained the witness's perception. The case was ultimately classified as A: airplane sighting.