White ball stationary in the sky in Châteauneuf-de-Galaure

Summary

On September 2, 2016, a witness observed a very bright white ball stationary in the sky for about five to six minutes. The object was in the direction of Saint-Martin-d’Aôût, and the witness, intrigued, went to get another person. Meanwhile, the phenomenon seemed to disappear on its own. The GEIPAN concluded that the witness had mistaken the star Sirius for an unidentified object. This is a common occurrence, as Sirius is a very bright star that, depending on the observer's position and atmospheric conditions, can appear as a luminous ball. In this case, the witness was looking toward the southeast, the same direction as Sirius, which was about five degrees above the horizon. While the witness was away, Sirius may have hidden behind a cloud or landscape elements, explaining its sudden disappearance.