Sighting in Bourgogne Septembre, September 4, 1988

In the night of 4 to 5 September 1988, at about 1:15 a.m., a large number of witnesses spread across several départements in central France, mainly in Burgundy, saw a bright light race across the sky for a few seconds. Depending on the witness, it appeared yellowish or white and oval in shape, and it trailed a long reddish streak.

The phenomenon was especially striking in the Yonne, where many people saw it, but it was observed as far away as the Essonne. When the light disappeared, witnesses heard four or five detonations, louder or fainter depending on where they were. They were heard particularly clearly in the Nièvre and the Yonne.

GEIPAN's investigation concluded that the witnesses most likely saw a large-scale atmospheric re-entry. The case was classified B (probably identified).