Thai lantern observed in Nérac

Summary

On July 20, 2015, a family in Nérac (France) observed a bright red object moving silently in a straight line across the night sky. The object disappeared behind a building, and although an attempt was made to record it on a mobile phone, the video could not be sent. The only witness described a trajectory starting in the northeast and ending in the southwest, consistent with the light wind from the north recorded in the area. Features such as the red color, intense brightness, and silent, straight-line movement are compatible with a Thai lantern. Additionally, the time of year and the location in a vacation village support this hypothesis, as these lights are often released during summer months.

The GEIPAN (Group for the Study of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) classified the case as "B," indicating a clear and plausible observation attributed to a Thai lantern. These types of objects, though uncommon in the region, can occasionally be launched by tourists or residents during celebrations. Despite some confusion in the witness's description of the trajectory, the meteorological data and visual description align with the typical behavior of these lights. In summary, the case does not present any unexplained elements and fits a conventional explanation.