Orange glowing ball over Villefort, France

Summary

On July 2, 2015, several people in Villefort observed a slow-moving, silent orange glowing ball traveling north to south before disappearing behind clouds. Only one witness account was collected. The description of a floating fireball suggests the possibility of a lantern, such as a Thai lantern, but weather data remains inconclusive. A light west wind was recorded 5 km away at Mas-de-la-Barque, while Mende, 35 km away, reported weak and unstable winds. Due to the observation occurring in a narrow valley, the actual low-altitude wind direction could not be determined. In mountainous areas, low-altitude winds are complex and variable. The GEIPAN considered the possibility of a plasma phenomenon, but there was no storm or seismic activity context. The case was ultimately classified as "C" due to a lack of corroboration.