ISS Observation in Montpezat

Summary

On August 12, 2016, a witness was stargazing when he noticed a bright white light that seemed to zigzag slightly. Curious, he called his partner, who confirmed the observation. Both saw the phenomenon cross the sky from west to east before disappearing. After investigation, the GEIPAN concluded that the witness had seen the International Space Station (ISS). Although the observed trajectory matched the ISS, the disappearance occurred lower in the sky than expected, possibly due to cloud interference. Additionally, the apparent oscillations of the light were attributed to well-known autokinetic perception effects, where the brain misinterprets movement. For these reasons, the case was classified as A.