Sighting in Cosne-sur-Loire, November 9, 2011

Around 9:05 p.m., several people were driving in a car when a brief blue phenomenon caught their attention. It was described variously as a flash, a bolt of lightning or a half circle. After arriving at home, one of the passengers got out of the vehicle and noticed something in the sky again: a large, motionless orange wheel of considerable diameter. It stayed in view for 5 to 7 seconds, then vanished instantly. None of the other witnesses saw this second phenomenon when it occurred.

The investigation considered the possibility of a Sky Tracker that had been switched on briefly, perhaps by accident, with the fog making the effect especially spectacular. This explanation seemed plausible, but the manager of the nightclub could not confirm it, and the witness rejected it entirely. Given these contradictions and the very short duration of the sighting, the GEIPAN classified the case as C, meaning there was not enough reliable information.