Bolide seen over France and Spain in 2015

Summary

On February 10, 2015, a very bright fireball crossed the sky over southern France and parts of Spain. Witnesses from the Pyrénées-Atlantiques to the Hérault department, as well as from the Basque Country to Catalonia, reported seeing the phenomenon. The CNES camera in Toulouse recorded the event at 19:22, and more than 80 testimonies were received by local media such as La Dépêche du Midi. The GEIPAN received three formal reports and is reconstructing the 3D trajectory using other cameras. This phenomenon, known as a bolide, occurs when a meteoroid enters the atmosphere at high altitudes, creating a visible glow seen hundreds of kilometers away. Although it appears close, it actually happens at hundreds of kilometers altitude. The variability in observation times is common in such events, and the trajectory and speed confirm a natural origin. The GEIPAN classified the case as "A", attributing it to the atmospheric entry of an astronomical object.