Sighting in Brezolles, May 27, 2023

At around 8:15 a.m., from home, the witness noticed a point of light in the sky, to the left of the Sun. It followed an apparent path from north to south, gradually drifting to the right from the observer's position. It stopped briefly, then set off again in the same direction, still moving right, before disappearing. The witness described it as round and grey, and compared it to a metallic object. The case rested on a single testimony, with no photo or video. However, the witness supplied complete data (azimuths, elevations, apparent size), and the GEIPAN rated the case's consistency as medium.

CAPCODA's reconstruction of air traffic showed nothing notable apart from the usual commercial activity at high altitude. The investigation established that the witness had very probably seen a festive mylar balloon carried by the wind, briefly reflecting sunlight. Its path was consistent with wind direction at moderate altitudes, below 250 m, according to the AROME weather model. The calculations of distance, size and speed also matched those of such a balloon. The stop, which struck the witness most, could be explained by brief, local changes in wind speed at height, which may not show up even in high-resolution weather data. The speed the witness estimated corresponded to an aircraft flying higher than a balloon, but the analyses show it is also that of an object pushed by the wind at the altitudes considered. The GEIPAN classified the case as A.