Sighting in Viessoix, December 8, 2009
Calvados, Normandie, France
Sighting on December 8, 2009 in Viessoix (Calvados, France). According to GEIPAN, it was most probably the atmospheric re-entry of a space object (rocket stage, debris) (class B).
What happened
Between 7:20 and 7:30 in the morning, a witness saw a luminous ball in the sky. It crossed horizontally from west to east over a period of 10 to 20 seconds. It then broke up into two or three pieces and disappeared.
The GEIPAN noted that the phenomenon moved horizontally and fast, then split into several fragments, which the witness described as an explosion. These features appear to match those of an atmospheric re-entry. The case was therefore classed B: a probable atmospheric re-entry.
Account rewritten by SkyUnknown from the investigation report published by GEIPAN (CNES). The original text and case documents are on the official record.
- Date
- December 8, 2009
- Location
- Viessoix · town centre
- Type of sighting
- From the ground
- Source classification
- B
- Explanation
- Re-entries
Sources
- See the original document
GEIPAN (CNES)
n° 2009-12-02504
Summary written by SkyUnknown from the facts published by the source.