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Sighting in Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire, April 23, 2013

Indre-et-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, France

Sighting on April 23, 2013 in Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire (Indre-et-Loire, France). GEIPAN identified the phenomenon with certainty: it was the International Space Station (ISS) (class A).

What happened

At 21:42 by their clock, a witness noticed a bright point of light close to the Moon. It moved vertically at a constant speed, then disappeared at about 300 m above the ground.

The description strongly suggested a pass of the International Space Station (ISS). Specialised websites (Calsky, Heavens-above) confirmed that the station had passed over that evening, but five minutes earlier than the time the witness gave. Asked about the gap, the witness confirmed by email that their clock was five minutes fast.

GEIPAN therefore classified the case as A: the object observed was the International Space Station. The Calsky predictions for that evening and a simulation of the station's pass across the sky, from the witness's viewpoint, are included in the case file's appendix.

Account rewritten by SkyUnknown from the investigation report published by GEIPAN (CNES). The original text and case documents are on the official record.

Date
April 23, 2013
Location
Saint-Cyr-sur-Loire · town centre
Type of sighting
From the ground
Source classification
A
Explanation
Space station (ISS)

Sources

Summary written by SkyUnknown from the facts published by the source.