Sighting in Arès, February 19, 2012
Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
Sighting on February 19, 2012 in Arès (Gironde, France). According to GEIPAN, it was most probably a balloon (class B).
What happened
A witness watched an object in the sky for a few seconds at around 9:15 a.m. After opening a roof window, they saw a spherical, aluminium-grey object pass over their house. It was heading south-south-west, made no noise and left no trail, then vanished into the clouds.
The investigation noted that the object was moving with the wind, which very likely points to a balloon filled with helium or hydrogen. Several origins were considered: a weather balloon, possibly released from Mérignac about an hour earlier and carried to the spot by winds that had changed a great deal during that hour (according to weather records for Bordeaux and Biscarosse); more probably a fairground balloon let go from Lège-Cap-Ferret; or a pilot balloon, used to prepare hot-air balloon flights. GEIPAN classified the case as B: probable balloon sighting.
Account rewritten by SkyUnknown from the investigation report published by GEIPAN (CNES). The original text and case documents are on the official record.
- Date
- February 19, 2012
- Location
- Arès · town centre
- Type of sighting
- From the ground
- Source classification
- B
- Explanation
- Balloons
Sources
- See the original document
GEIPAN (CNES)
n° 2012-02-08194
Summary written by SkyUnknown from the facts published by the source.