Sighting in Mordelles, June 3, 2010
Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretagne, France
Sighting on June 3, 2010 in Mordelles (Ille-et-Vilaine, France). GEIPAN identified the phenomenon with certainty: it was one or more satellites (class A).
What happened
Shortly before 1 a.m., at around 12:45 a.m., a witness noticed a ball of light in the sky that caught their attention. The object stayed fixed in place. Its brightness then faded until the witness lost sight of it. The observation lasted 15 to 20 seconds, and no sound was noticed during that time.
After cases rated "C" were published, an internet user told GEIPAN that the sighting might have been an Iridium satellite flash. GEIPAN checked this lead and found that the witness's description matched such a flash. It is a rare and spectacular phenomenon, it occurred at that moment and was visible from that location, and an observer looking in that direction could not have missed it. However, the witness gave no information on the phenomenon's elevation in the sky. The case was classified "A": an Iridium flash.
Account rewritten by SkyUnknown from the investigation report published by GEIPAN (CNES). The original text and case documents are on the official record.
- Date
- June 3, 2010
- Location
- Mordelles · town centre
- Type of sighting
- From the ground
- Source classification
- A
- Explanation
- Satellites
Sources
- See the original document
GEIPAN (CNES)
n° 2010-06-02599
Summary written by SkyUnknown from the facts published by the source.