Sighting in Onnaing, November 19, 2023

At around 9:35 p.m., a witness was at home with their children when they noticed white lights flashing like strobes. The lights seemed to be reflected on a layer of cloud, in line with the main street of the town. The phenomenon stayed motionless throughout the observation, which lasted about two to three minutes, and then went out abruptly. The witness filmed two video sequences.

Only one testimony was officially recorded, but three separate people and two videos corroborate the sighting. GEIPAN therefore rates the consistency of the case as good.

The investigation found that the lights had all the characteristics of ground-based sources reflected on a low cloud layer. Their probable origin was identified: the lighting of the autumn fair set up on the Grand-Place in Mons, Belgium, which lay along the line of sight about 27 km from the witness's vantage point. Some rides at the fair were fitted with powerful lighting that could produce a strobe-like effect. The very good horizontal visibility and low clouds recorded that evening made it possible for these reflections to be seen from the town. The case was classified A.