Red-orange glowing ball observed in Gironde

Summary

On July 19, 2015, just after midnight, a witness in the Gironde region observed a glowing red-orange ball moving rapidly from west to east. The object remained visible for about 30 seconds before disappearing into the clouds. The witness captured luminous streaks in photos taken at the time. Five other people also reported the phenomenon, but only one provided a well-documented account. Investigators from the GEIPAN considered several factors: the color, duration, direction of movement, and the context of the day, which aligned with celebrations typically involving lantern launches. The disappearance was likely due to the lantern extinguishing or entering a cloud layer. Due to the lack of noise and the consistency with the behavior of Thai lanterns, the case was classified as probably explained.