What UFOs turn out to be
Searchlights, lasers and ground lights mistaken for UFOs
Club and event searchlights ("skytracers") cast spots of light on the clouds that circle, cross and split, with no visible beam when the air is dry. Show lasers and stadium lighting produce similar effects.
Car headlights on a mountain road, construction lights or wind-turbine beacons complete the list. A phenomenon that only appears under a cloud ceiling is a strong clue.
SkyUnknown lists 130 UFO sightings explained as a light from the ground (searchlight, laser, vehicle…), from 1979 to 2025, drawn from official records: GEIPAN (CNES). The busiest year was 2024, with 13 cases.
Most frequently named places: Toulouse (4), Rosheim (2), Lyon (2), and Peigney (2).
- cases
- 130
- unidentified
- 0
- period
- 1979–2025
- source
- 1
Map of the cases
Notable cases
The most complete records: account of the sighting, conclusion of the official investigation.
- Probably explainedSeptember 3, 2025
Vougeot
Côte-d'Or, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
→ Ground lights and lasers
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedAugust 26, 2025
Neuilly-sur-Marne
Seine-Saint-Denis, Île-de-France, France
→ Ground lights and lasers
GEIPAN (CNES)
- Probably explainedJuly 3, 2025
Coulon
Deux-Sèvres, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
→ Ground lights and lasers
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedMarch 1, 2025
Espira-de-l'Agly
Pyrénées-Orientales, Occitanie, France
→ Ground lights and lasers
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedJanuary 6, 2025
Noisy-le-Grand
Seine-Saint-Denis, Île-de-France, France
→ Ground lights and lasers
GEIPAN (CNES)
- Probably explainedNovember 25, 2024
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
→ Ground lights and lasers
GEIPAN (CNES)
- Probably explainedNovember 25, 2024
Mitry-Mory
Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France, France
→ Ground lights and lasers
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedNovember 9, 2024
Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade
Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
→ Ground lights and lasers
GEIPAN (CNES)
- Probably explainedOctober 12, 2024
Colleville
Seine-Maritime, Normandie, France
→ Ground lights and lasers
GEIPAN (CNES)
Other explanations
All sightings
| Date | Place | Status | Identified cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 3, 2025 | Vougeot · Côte-d'Or | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 26, 2025 | Neuilly-sur-Marne · Seine-Saint-Denis | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| July 3, 2025 | Coulon · Deux-Sèvres | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| March 1, 2025 | Espira-de-l'Agly · Pyrénées-Orientales | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| January 6, 2025 | Noisy-le-Grand · Seine-Saint-Denis | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 25, 2024 | Mitry-Mory · Seine-et-Marne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 25, 2024 | Villefranche-sur-Mer · Alpes-Maritimes | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 9, 2024 | Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade · Bouches-du-Rhône | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| October 12, 2024 | Colleville · Seine-Maritime | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 26, 2024 | Paris | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 3, 2024 | Quiévy · Nord | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 29, 2024 | Antran · Vienne | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 17, 2024 | Novalaise · Savoie | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| July 20, 2024 | Labastide-Saint-Pierre · Tarn-et-Garonne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| July 10, 2024 | Jézeau · Hautes-Pyrénées | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| May 30, 2024 | Elsenheim · Bas-Rhin | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| May 14, 2024 | Saint-Raphaël · Var | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| April 16, 2024 | Trouville-sur-Mer · Calvados | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| October 19, 2023 | Magnien · Côte-d'Or | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 24, 2023 | Batz-sur-Mer · Loire-Atlantique | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| July 13, 2023 | Chaville · Hauts-de-Seine | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| December 25, 2022 | Brives · Corrèze | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 5, 2022 | Clamart · Hauts-de-Seine | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| October 1, 2022 | Méthamis · Vaucluse | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 21, 2022 | Pierrefort · Cantal | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 8, 2022 | Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine · Indre-et-Loire | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| February 14, 2022 | Eybens · Isère | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 11, 2021 | Nice · Alpes-Maritimes | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 4, 2021 | Paradou · Bouches-du-Rhône | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 7, 2021 | Biscarrosse · Landes | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 28, 2020 | Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer · Bouches-du-Rhône | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| January 25, 2020 | Les Sauvages · Rhône | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| January 11, 2020 | La Madeleine · Nord | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| June 21, 2019 | Lyon · Rhône | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 23, 2018 | Rueil-Malmaison · Hauts-de-Seine | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 29, 2017 | Villejust · Essonne | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 17, 2016 | Pompignan · Tarn-et-Garonne | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| October 9, 2016 | Vence · Alpes-Maritimes | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 29, 2016 | Cauffry · Oise | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 29, 2016 | Rantigny · Oise | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 17, 2016 | Peigney · Haute-Marne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 9, 2016 | Wissembourg · Bas-Rhin | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| January 24, 2016 | Beaumont-sur-Sarthe · Sarthe | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 27, 2015 | Les Herbiers · Vendée | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 4, 2015 | Roquebrune-sur-Argens · Var | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 24, 2015 | Leucate · Aude | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 23, 2015 | Paris | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 7, 2015 | Évry · Essonne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 6, 2015 | Lyon · Rhône | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| June 14, 2015 | Orly-sur-Morin · Seine-et-Marne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| December 21, 2014 | Les Avirons · La Réunion | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 3, 2014 | Fontaines-sur-Saône · Rhône | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 22, 2014 | Autun · Saône-et-Loire | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| January 7, 2014 | Le Grand-Bornand · Haute-Savoie | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| January 7, 2014 | Limeil-Brévannes · Val-de-Marne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 16, 2013 | Pau · Pyrénées-Atlantiques | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| October 3, 2013 | Montcheutin · Ardennes | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| October 1, 2013 | Schiltigheim · Bas-Rhin | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 24, 2013 | Mons · Hérault | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 14, 2013 | Lézignan-la-Cèbe · Hérault | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 5, 2013 | Saint-Ouen-l'Aumône · Val-d'Oise | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 12, 2013 | Valloire · Savoie | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| June 9, 2013 | Toulouse · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| April 28, 2013 | Jonquières · Aude | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| December 28, 2012 | Toulouse · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 25, 2012 | Six-Fours-les-Plages · Var | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 2, 2012 | Gensac-sur-Garonne · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 1, 2012 | Fresse-sur-Moselle · Vosges | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 24, 2012 | Bourgoin-Jallieu · Isère | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 13, 2012 | Soustons · Landes | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| June 4, 2012 | Peigney · Haute-Marne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| February 18, 2012 | Bonnières · Oise | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| January 9, 2012 | La Montagne · Loire-Atlantique | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| October 21, 2011 | Saint-Jean-d'Angély · Charente-Maritime | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| June 15, 2011 | Chozeau · Isère | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| June 13, 2011 | Agde · Hérault | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| April 14, 2011 | Reims · Marne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| February 26, 2011 | Forcalquier · Alpes-de-Haute-Provence | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 21, 2010 | La Garenne-Colombes · Hauts-de-Seine | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| July 20, 2010 | Saint-Pol-sur-Ternoise · Pas-de-Calais | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| March 4, 2010 | Rosheim · Bas-Rhin | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| February 11, 2010 | Baud · Morbihan | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| December 13, 2009 | Toulouse · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 15, 2009 | Jeantes · Aisne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 15, 2009 | Saint-Michel · Aisne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| October 31, 2009 | Le Raincy · Seine-Saint-Denis | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| October 4, 2009 | Étoges · Marne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 29, 2009 | Sainte-Suzanne · La Réunion | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 11, 2009 | Canet-en-Roussillon · Pyrénées-Orientales | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| February 28, 2009 | Aussois · Savoie | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| May 27, 2008 | Cachan · Val-de-Marne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| May 17, 2008 | Cesson-Sévigné · Ille-et-Vilaine | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| May 17, 2008 | Châteaugiron · Ille-et-Vilaine | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| May 2, 2008 | Argentré-du-Plessis · Ille-et-Vilaine | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| April 27, 2008 | Cuers · Var | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| April 16, 2008 | Lagny-sur-Marne · Seine-et-Marne | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| March 31, 2008 | Merville · Nord | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| December 11, 2007 | Toulouse · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| October 1, 2007 | Lille · Nord | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| July 6, 2007 | Remiremont · Vosges | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| October 31, 2006 | Mortagne-sur-Sèvre · Vendée | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 20, 2000 | Honfleur · Calvados | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| July 29, 2000 | Montcornet · Aisne | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| December 22, 1998 | Rosheim · Bas-Rhin | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 27, 1997 | Maurens · Dordogne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 1997 | Niort · Deux-Sèvres | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| February 13, 1997 | Châteauneuf-les-Martigues · Bouches-du-Rhône | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| August 8, 1996 | Tavaco | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| January 9, 1996 | Couy · Cher | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| December 23, 1995 | Mauron · Morbihan | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 18, 1995 | Abbeville · Somme | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| December 25, 1993 | Roquemaure · Gard | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| December 11, 1993 | Avignon · Vaucluse | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| December 11, 1993 | L'Île-Bouchard · Indre-et-Loire | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 11, 1993 | Bourgneuf-en-Retz · Loire-Atlantique | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 4, 1993 | Le Portel · Pas-de-Calais | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| June 17, 1993 | Fleurines · Oise | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| May 31, 1993 | Réhon · Meurthe-et-Moselle | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| May 16, 1993 | Saint-Branchs · Indre-et-Loire | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| April 8, 1993 | Agen · Lot-et-Garonne | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| February 28, 1993 | Lusignan · Vienne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 25, 1990 | Nort-sur-Erdre · Loire-Atlantique | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 24, 1990 | (reg) Pays de la Loire | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| September 19, 1990 | Moosch · Haut-Rhin | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| June 28, 1988 | Hulluch · Pas-de-Calais | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| July 22, 1985 | Ploërmel · Morbihan | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| November 6, 1981 | Feignies · Nord | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| May 22, 1981 | Ternay · Loir-et-Cher | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| March 23, 1980 | Saint-Rémy-de-Provence · Bouches-du-Rhône | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| January 24, 1979 | Finistère | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
The figures on this page are computed from the official records cited on each case. See sources and method