Sighting in Nogent-sur-Marne, October 9, 2023

At around 5:20 pm, the witness was in a car on a street when they noticed a ball showing rainbow colors in the sky, to the right of the sun. They then got out of the vehicle and could still see it, so the effect did not come from the windows or windshield. The witness took two photos, which were sent to GEIPAN.

On the basis of these photos, the investigation concluded that the witness had seen an iridescent cloud. This kind of atmospheric iridescence is fairly rare: in a mid-altitude cloud, sunlight is dispersed and produces the whole solar spectrum, the colors of a rainbow. Such clouds form within about 30 degrees of the sun or the moon. The same effect can sometimes be seen in an aircraft's contrails, or even in those of a rocket as it climbs. GEIPAN classified the case as A (identified) and praised the witness's good reflex in checking the sighting by stepping out of the car.