What UFOs turn out to be
Sky lanterns mistaken for UFOs
A sky lantern is a small paper balloon lifted by hot air from a flame. Released at weddings, parties or New Year celebrations, it rises several hundred metres and drifts with the wind.
Tell-tale signs: a flickering orange or reddish light, a slow and steady drift with the wind, often several lights in a line or a cluster, no sound, then a gradual fade after a few minutes once the fuel burns out. Summer evenings and New Year's Eve produce the most reports.
SkyUnknown lists 418 UFO sightings explained as a sky lantern, from 2006 to 2026, drawn from official records: GEIPAN (CNES). The busiest year was 2014, with 64 cases.
Most frequently named places: Toulouse (6), Sartrouville (3), Conflans-Sainte-Honorine (3), Lourdes (3), and Cazères (2).
- cases
- 418
- unidentified
- 0
- period
- 2006–2026
- source
- 1
Map of the cases
Notable cases
The most complete records: account of the sighting, conclusion of the official investigation.
- ExplainedJanuary 5, 2026
Maulde
Nord, Hauts-de-France, France
→ Sky lanterns
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedJanuary 5, 2026
Colmar
Haut-Rhin, Grand Est, France
→ Sky lanterns
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedJanuary 1, 2026
Rumilly
Haute-Savoie, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France
→ Sky lanterns
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedDecember 19, 2025
Samoreau
Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France, France
→ Sky lanterns
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedAugust 4, 2025
Château-Renault
Indre-et-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, France
→ Sky lanterns
GEIPAN (CNES)
- Probably explainedJune 22, 2025
Achères
Yvelines, Île-de-France, France
→ Sky lanterns
GEIPAN (CNES)
- Probably explainedMay 14, 2025
Nice
Alpes-Maritimes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
→ Sky lanterns
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedJanuary 4, 2025
Perpignan
Pyrénées-Orientales, Occitanie, France
→ Sky lanterns
GEIPAN (CNES)
- Probably explainedDecember 23, 2024
Civrac-de-Blaye
Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France
→ Sky lanterns
GEIPAN (CNES)
Other explanations
By country
The 200 most recent sightings (out of 418)
| Date | Place | Status | Identified cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 5, 2026 | Colmar · Haut-Rhin | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 5, 2026 | Maulde · Nord | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 1, 2026 | Rumilly · Haute-Savoie | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 19, 2025 | Samoreau · Seine-et-Marne | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 4, 2025 | Château-Renault · Indre-et-Loire | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 22, 2025 | Achères · Yvelines | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 14, 2025 | Nice · Alpes-Maritimes | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 4, 2025 | Perpignan · Pyrénées-Orientales | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 23, 2024 | Civrac-de-Blaye · Gironde | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 18, 2024 | Verny · Moselle | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 28, 2024 | Breuil-Magné · Charente-Maritime | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 11, 2024 | Pia · Pyrénées-Orientales | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| April 6, 2024 | Valenciennes · Nord | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 27, 2024 | Gisors · Eure | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 30, 2023 | Vigneux-sur-Seine · Essonne | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 15, 2023 | Beynac · Haute-Vienne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 29, 2023 | Pralong · Loire | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| February 26, 2023 | Le Plessis-Belleville · Oise | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| February 10, 2023 | Pleyber-Christ · Finistère | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 8, 2023 | Eybens · Isère | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 13, 2022 | Uzein · Pyrénées-Atlantiques | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 14, 2022 | Pouillon · Landes | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 27, 2022 | Roquefort-sur-Garonne · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 14, 2022 | Saint-Clair-du-Rhône · Isère | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| March 7, 2022 | Sartrouville · Yvelines | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 9, 2022 | Yutz · Moselle | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 4, 2021 | Aumelas · Hérault | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 12, 2021 | Saint-Jean-de-Boiseau · Loire-Atlantique | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 1, 2021 | Thuir · Pyrénées-Orientales | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| November 26, 2020 | Lège-Cap-Ferret · Gironde | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| November 22, 2020 | Nantes · Loire-Atlantique | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 5, 2020 | Dole · Jura | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 13, 2020 | Mios · Gironde | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 17, 2020 | Olonne-sur-Mer · Vendée | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 8, 2020 | Sartrouville · Yvelines | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| February 28, 2020 | Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer · Var | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 7, 2019 | Embrun · Hautes-Alpes | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 2, 2019 | Pontarlier · Doubs | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 7, 2019 | Cartelègue · Gironde | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 16, 2019 | Berville-sur-Mer · Eure | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 1, 2019 | Campsegret · Dordogne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| April 21, 2019 | Velleron · Vaucluse | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| April 18, 2019 | Écardenville-la-Campagne · Eure | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 21, 2018 | Villeneuve-sur-Lot · Lot-et-Garonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 2, 2018 | Martigues · Bouches-du-Rhône | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| October 3, 2018 | Lamotte-Beuvron · Loir-et-Cher | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 30, 2018 | Reignac-sur-Indre · Indre-et-Loire | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 12, 2018 | Entremont-le-Vieux · Savoie | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 7, 2018 | Chatou · Yvelines | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 7, 2018 | Pignan · Hérault | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 23, 2018 | Andernos-les-Bains · Gironde | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| April 28, 2018 | Bourges · Cher | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| March 30, 2018 | Grézillac · Gironde | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| March 11, 2018 | Toulouse · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 18, 2018 | Lamonzie-Saint-Martin · Dordogne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 5, 2018 | Contay · Somme | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 10, 2017 | Salignac-Eyvigues · Dordogne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 5, 2017 | Le Barcarès · Pyrénées-Orientales | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 2, 2017 | Albi · Tarn | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 2, 2017 | Ploemeur · Morbihan | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 19, 2017 | Caumont-sur-Durance · Vaucluse | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 5, 2017 | Bussang · Vosges | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 13, 2017 | Arradon · Morbihan | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 8, 2017 | Wahagnies · Nord | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 7, 2017 | Gouesnach · Finistère | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 26, 2017 | Besançon · Doubs | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 27, 2016 | Fontaine · Isère | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 18, 2016 | Saint-Rome-de-Tarn · Aveyron | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 17, 2016 | Le Thor · Vaucluse | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 17, 2016 | Nîmes · Gard | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| November 25, 2016 | Riom · Puy-de-Dôme | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 28, 2016 | Mardié · Loiret | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 26, 2016 | Ham · Somme | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 26, 2016 | Monéteau · Yonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 23, 2016 | Chécy · Loiret | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 8, 2016 | Sainville · Eure-et-Loir | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 7, 2016 | Jarcieu · Isère | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 3, 2016 | Balma · Haute-Garonne | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 28, 2016 | Lyon · Rhône | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 9, 2016 | Inzinzac-Lochrist · Morbihan | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 3, 2016 | Treize-Septiers · Vendée | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 26, 2016 | Luttenbach-près-Munster · Haut-Rhin | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 14, 2016 | Blagnac · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 21, 2016 | Pinterville · Eure | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 20, 2016 | Oullins · Rhône | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 15, 2016 | Liévin · Pas-de-Calais | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 15, 2016 | Orléans · Loiret | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| April 19, 2016 | Cenon · Gironde | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| February 11, 2016 | Chevigny-Saint-Sauveur · Côte-d'Or | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 1, 2016 | Bailleul · Nord | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 1, 2016 | Talmont-Saint-Hilaire · Vendée | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 1, 2016 | Villemoisson-sur-Orge · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 27, 2015 | Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey · Alpes-Maritimes | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 27, 2015 | Wavrechain-sous-Denain · Nord | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 26, 2015 | Banassac · Lozère | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 25, 2015 | Lourdes · Hautes-Pyrénées | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 24, 2015 | Asnières-sur-Oise · Val-d'Oise | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 24, 2015 | Saint-Maime · Alpes-de-Haute-Provence | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 24, 2015 | Valdoie · Territoire de Belfort | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 19, 2015 | Lançon-Provence · Bouches-du-Rhône | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 7, 2015 | Limeil-Brévannes · Val-de-Marne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| November 29, 2015 | Magny-Saint-Médard · Côte-d'Or | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| November 8, 2015 | Valady · Aveyron | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| October 24, 2015 | Eygalières · Bouches-du-Rhône | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| October 20, 2015 | Sauvigny · Meuse | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 26, 2015 | Rivecourt · Oise | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 13, 2015 | Aucamville · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 13, 2015 | Cazères · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 13, 2015 | Nice · Alpes-Maritimes | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 13, 2015 | Prats-de-Carlux · Dordogne | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 6, 2015 | Airvault · Deux-Sèvres | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 29, 2015 | Saint-Georges-de-Didonne · Charente-Maritime | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 28, 2015 | Bessay · Vendée | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 15, 2015 | Doué-la-Fontaine · Maine-et-Loire | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 5, 2015 | Darnieulles · Vosges | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 4, 2015 | Toulouse · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 21, 2015 | Rouen · Seine-Maritime | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 20, 2015 | Nérac · Lot-et-Garonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 19, 2015 | Le Taillan-Médoc · Gironde | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 19, 2015 | Viels-Maisons · Aisne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 16, 2015 | Péronne · Somme | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 16, 2015 | Saint-Rémy-de-Provence · Bouches-du-Rhône | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 15, 2015 | Ammerschwihr · Haut-Rhin | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 12, 2015 | Gainneville · Seine-Maritime | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 6, 2015 | Chambéry · Savoie | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 4, 2015 | Bizanos · Pyrénées-Atlantiques | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 20, 2015 | Vieu · Ain | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 13, 2015 | Mennecy · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 8, 2015 | Le Perreux-sur-Marne · Val-de-Marne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 31, 2015 | Cherisy · Eure-et-Loir | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 31, 2015 | Sainte-Colombe · Rhône | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 23, 2015 | Saujon · Charente-Maritime | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 9, 2015 | Albi · Tarn | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| April 18, 2015 | Liancourt · Oise | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| April 18, 2015 | Ruaudin · Sarthe | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| March 7, 2015 | Gouvernes · Seine-et-Marne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| March 7, 2015 | Plouhinec · Finistère | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| February 22, 2015 | Haut-Rhin | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| February 22, 2015 | Kerlouan · Finistère | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| February 10, 2015 | Saint-Yrieix-la-Perche · Haute-Vienne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| February 8, 2015 | Aubervilliers · Seine-Saint-Denis | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 4, 2015 | Saint-Brandan · Côtes-d'Armor | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| January 1, 2015 | Romans-sur-Isère · Drôme | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 25, 2014 | Fismes · Marne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 25, 2014 | La Garde · Var | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 25, 2014 | Mouchamps · Vendée | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 25, 2014 | Mulhouse · Haut-Rhin | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 25, 2014 | Saint-Maixent-l'École · Deux-Sèvres | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 5, 2014 | Conflans-Sainte-Honorine · Yvelines | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| November 29, 2014 | Savigny-sur-Braye · Loir-et-Cher | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| October 19, 2014 | Louviers · Eure | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| October 5, 2014 | Vieussan · Hérault | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| October 4, 2014 | Fontaines-sur-Saône · Rhône | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| October 3, 2014 | Ambérieu-en-Bugey · Ain | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| October 3, 2014 | Beaune · Côte-d'Or | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 28, 2014 | Trilbardou · Seine-et-Marne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 27, 2014 | Montauban · Tarn-et-Garonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 19, 2014 | Yerres · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 18, 2014 | Saint-Gaudens · Haute-Garonne | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 14, 2014 | Saint-Maurice · Val-de-Marne | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 7, 2014 | Pellouailles-les-Vignes · Maine-et-Loire | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 6, 2014 | Cap-d'Ail · Alpes-Maritimes | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 31, 2014 | Le Porge · Gironde | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 30, 2014 | Bellevaux · Haute-Savoie | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 27, 2014 | Saint-Sulpice · Tarn | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 20, 2014 | Saint-Georges-de-Pointindoux · Vendée | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 15, 2014 | Port-Sainte-Foy-et-Ponchapt · Gironde | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 15, 2014 | Vieux-Boucau-les-Bains · Landes | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 3, 2014 | Saint-Sulpice-et-Cameyrac · Gironde | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 2, 2014 | Oullins · Rhône | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 31, 2014 | Claye-Souilly · Seine-et-Marne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 31, 2014 | Giberville · Calvados | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 26, 2014 | Saint-Cyprien · Pyrénées-Orientales | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 25, 2014 | Juvisy-sur-Orge · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 20, 2014 | Fontevraud-l'Abbaye · Maine-et-Loire | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 19, 2014 | Bruguières · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 19, 2014 | Gleizé · Rhône | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 19, 2014 | Toulouse · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 14, 2014 | Selles-Saint-Denis · Loir-et-Cher | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 12, 2014 | Lacs · Indre | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 12, 2014 | Valleiry · Haute-Savoie | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 5, 2014 | Aix-en-Provence · Bouches-du-Rhône | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 5, 2014 | Cosne-Cours-sur-Loire · Nièvre | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 5, 2014 | Toulouse · Haute-Garonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 2, 2014 | Colmar · Haut-Rhin | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 22, 2014 | Noisy-le-Grand · Seine-Saint-Denis | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 14, 2014 | Plobsheim · Bas-Rhin | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 7, 2014 | Asnières-sur-Seine · Hauts-de-Seine | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 31, 2014 | Pauillac · Gironde | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 18, 2014 | Mandelieu-la-Napoule · Alpes-Maritimes | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 17, 2014 | Saint-Estève · Pyrénées-Orientales | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 15, 2014 | Eaubonne · Val-d'Oise | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 12, 2014 | Évry · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| April 28, 2014 | Bourg-lès-Valence · Drôme | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| April 20, 2014 | Treuzy-Levelay · Seine-et-Marne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| April 8, 2014 | Le Pontet · Vaucluse | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| March 21, 2014 | Marseille · Bouches-du-Rhône | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| March 20, 2014 | Clessé · Saône-et-Loire | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| March 18, 2014 | Bourg-en-Bresse · Ain | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| March 9, 2014 | Talence · Gironde | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
The figures on this page are computed from the official records cited on each case. See sources and method