Sighting in Rentree Atmospherique — National, November 17, 1983
France
Sighting on November 17, 1983 in Rentree Atmospherique — National (France). According to GEIPAN, it was most probably the atmospheric re-entry of a space object (rocket stage, debris) (class B).
What happened
Between 6:30 and 7:00 pm, witnesses spread across three départements (Haute-Saône, Moselle and Meurthe-et-Moselle) saw a luminous phenomenon crossing the sky. It was a round, highly colored mass moving horizontally at very high speed and making no noise at all. Its altitude was estimated at between 1,000 and 2,000 feet.
The sighting lasted only a few seconds, and the witnesses did not notice any change of direction. Some, however, saw the main mass break up into several reddish fragments of unequal size. A yellow-orange trail was also visible behind the object.
GEIPAN classified the case as B: these many witnesses most likely saw a meteoroid entering the atmosphere.
Account rewritten by SkyUnknown from the investigation report published by GEIPAN (CNES). The original text and case documents are on the official record.
- Date
- November 17, 1983
- Location
- Rentree Atmospherique — National · town centre
- Type of sighting
- From the ground
- Source classification
- B
- Explanation
- Re-entries
Sources
- See the original document
GEIPAN (CNES)
n° 1983-11-01006
Summary written by SkyUnknown from the facts published by the source.