Sighting in Rangen, August 24, 2009
Bas-Rhin, Grand Est, France
Sighting on August 24, 2009 in Rangen (Bas-Rhin, France). According to GEIPAN, it was most probably a sky lantern (class B).
What happened
A witness reported several sightings made over the nights of 23 and 24 August 2009. Each time, they had seen red luminous phenomena moving across the sky. Other people also gave their accounts, though the source does not say what those accounts contained.
According to GEIPAN, the witness's detailed description fits Thai lanterns very well. The witness pointed out that the speed at which the lights moved did not match the wind that day. The investigation explained this difference by very localized air movements: on summer nights the atmosphere can be disturbed by various causes, in particular thermal updrafts above certain buildings or fields, which can speed up the drift.
The case was classified B (probably identified): the sightings were most likely the passage of Thai lanterns.
Account rewritten by SkyUnknown from the investigation report published by GEIPAN (CNES). The original text and case documents are on the official record.
- Date
- August 24, 2009
- Location
- Rangen · town centre
- Type of sighting
- From the ground
- Source classification
- B
- Explanation
- Sky lanterns
Sources
- See the original document
GEIPAN (CNES)
n° 2009-08-02468
Summary written by SkyUnknown from the facts published by the source.