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October 7, 1954, Corbigny, Nièvre:

Reference for this case: 7-Oct-54-Corbigny.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

In the regional newspaper L'Est Républicain for October 5, 1954, it was reported that in Corbigny, in the Nièvre, several residents had seen a luminous disc of orange color which moved in the sky and disappeared "vertically" after changing altitude several times.

The national newspaper France-Soir for October 9, 1954, spoke of a "luminous cigar with two discs in its lower part" seen in Corbigny.

The newspaper Le Nouveau Nord Maritime of the same October 9, 1954, and other newspapers, indicated:

Nevers, 8. -- Several inhabitants of Corbigny (Nièvre) declared having seen in the night from Wednesday to Thursday, in the sky, a luminous object in the shape of a cigar, carrying in its lower part two discs. The craft was moving at high speed.

For his part, an office worker claims to have observed a large luminous disc of orange-yellow color and giving off a dazzling clarity behind.

In his February 1958 article for the popular science magazine Science & Vie, the pioneering ufologist Aimé Michel evoked "apparatuses of cylindrical shape, emitting red-orange gleams when they were horizontal and of a dazzling white when they rose vertically", seen in Corbigny according to the national newspaper L'Aurore for October 8, 1954.

In their 1979 book "OVNI - Premier Dossier Complet des Rencontres Rapprochées en France", Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon gave a version they say they found in the newspaper La Montagne for October 8, 1954: in Corbigny in the Nièvre on October 7, 1954 by day, a cigar-shaped luminous craft carrying at its lower part two red discs as well as a large luminous disc of yellow-orange color going at a dizzying speed, leaving behind a dazzling light was observed. The "craft" was cylindrical in shape and emitted red and orange glows.

According to the ufology bulletin Vimana 21, #10-11, of 1982, one could read in the newspaper Le Bien Public for October 8, 1954:

FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER: CIGARS AND MULTICOLORED DISCS IN THE SKY OF LA NIEVRE -

Nevers - After Château Chinon, it is Corbigny that takes pride in the flying saucers press releases. A state government employee observed a large yellow-orange glowing disk moving at breakneck speed, trailing a dazzlingly bright white light, comparable to the fire produced by a welding autogenous torch. Also, while she was hanging laundry in her garden, a resident of Corbigny observed a luminous craft in the shape of an elongated cigar carrying at its lower part, two round discs. This shape was greenish yellow in color. The craft rose towards the celestial vault where it disappeared while diminishing as if it were extinguishing.

The ufological versions that followed brought nothing more.

Reports:

[Ref. ler1:] NEWSPAPER "L'EST REPUBLICAIN:"

Scan.

DURING THE LAST WEEK-END

The flying saucers disturbed the Sunday rest of a certain number of Frenchmen

Chamonix. -- The chronicle of the flying saucers and other "cigars" continues to be abundantly provided. During the last weekend, the witnesses who have, indeed, seen mysterious machines are countless.

It is apparently Chamonix which should be given the priority, since, at the same moment, officers of the high mountain school, gendarmes, and pilot Guiron who flew over the area saw during more than one hour a white shining craft move between the mount Lachat and Mount Blanc.

Pilot Guiron said that, flying at approximately 2.000 meters above Faverges, he saw a craft which, he said, did not have any resemblance to a normal plane. Moreover, the direction followed at high speed by this apparatus excluded a sounding-balloon.

In Corbigny (the Nièvre), several inhabitants saw a luminous disc of orange color which moved in the sky and disappeared vertically after having changed altitude several times.

In Breuil-Chaussée, in the Deux-Sèvres, Mr. Girardeau, 55 years old, went to his work when, in a turn of the road, he noticed a circular machine "close to which was a being which seemed to him dressed in a kind of diving-suit". The "being" moved towards him and Mr. Girardeau fled, frightened. A little later the circular machine went away at high speed!

"You would have said a haystack"

It is also a curious machine around whose two odd individuals wandered that two young people people of Vron (Somme) stated to have seen. "We approached, they entrusted to the gendarmes. A haystack you would have said. Suddenly, the machine took off".

In the Indre, as well in Levroux as in Vatan, about fifteen people lengthily followed the moves of a luminous ball of yellowish color which went up and down in the sky and could have been three meters in diameter.

[Ref. lpv1:] NEWSPAPER "LE PETIT VAROIS":

Scan.

AN AUTHORIZED OPINION

"FLYING SAUCERS?
NOT SERIOUS!"

says Professor SCHATZMAN
Researcher at the Astro-Physics Institute

Paris. -- The "flying saucers", which poison the Western skies whenever important international events occur, extend their field of action over the African continent.

An official report to the Government of the Ivory Coast by the administrator of the Danane subdivision, 500 kilometers north-west of Abidjan, reported a "phenomenon" observed on 19 September, 8:30 p.m. to 09:05 p.m., by the said head of subdivision, Mr. Vernhet, his wife and Reverend Yvard, gathered in the courtyard of the Residence.

It was a luminous spot surrounded by a halo which at first grew rapidly, moving towards or away from the horizon. The witnesses saw the machine lighting a powerful headlight, sometimes directed upwards, sometimes downwards. The ovoid-shaped craft was surmounted by a cupola, and light rays seemed to be detached from each side.

When it disappeared after half an hour, the witnesses saw clearly - according to the report - two halos of light, oval in shape, forming at the presumed location of the craft which moved without any noise.

The same day, at Soubre, 250 kilometers north-west of Abidjan, similar phenomena were observed by the head of subdivision.

In France, flowering flourishes, passing through all forms of flying crockery: in Corbigny (Nièvre), it is a luminous orange disc moving vertically; in Breuil-Caussée [sic] (Deux-Sèvres) it is a diver mounted on a plate that scared an employee of the center of slaughter; in Vron (Somme), it is a millstone around which strange individuals prowl and flies away; in Levroux (Indre), it is a luminous machine 1 meter in diameter that is spotted "at the height of the buildings" by two widows of the area, and in Vatan (also in the Indre), it is a ball that 15 people see dancing like a dancer. In Milly-la-Forêt (S.-et-O.) it is a half-moon surmounted by a ring that appears to a restaurant owner.

Finally, on Monday in Chamonix for more than an hour, the officers of the high mountain school, many gendarmes of Chamonix and a pilot specializing in high-altitude flight flying over the region at that time followed the moves of a brilliant machine of bizarre form between Mount Lachat and Mount Blanc.

The opinion of a scientist

If one addresses the most qualified scientific circles, there are two attitudes: that of refusing to answer on the pretext that the problem does not exist and that of critically examining the published testimonies and to provide public opinion, confused and excited by the Press, the positive element allowing to recognize the natural phenomena.

This latter attitude is that of Professor Evry Schatzman, a research fellow at the Institute of Astrophysics and a lecturer at the Sorbonne, to whom we have asked to enlighten our readers.

"Is it true that scientists are beginning to take the flying saucers seriously?"

- I have never met any astronomer who believes the flying saucer stories [ast]. I have personally read many books on this subject, seeking to grasp the exact meanings of the testimonies reported. By admitting descriptions made in good faith - which is always to be doubted - it always results in a perplexity as to the elements that can be drawn from it. In the majority of cases they are incomprehensible: the precise hour, the duration, the exact direction of the "phenomenon" is not known, nor even if it occurred by day or night. Or they are made unreliable by details that cannot be distinguished. And they are reported with the intention of making believe in the mystery. When one has a precise and complete description, one can do what is at stake and which can make illusion for the heated imagination of a public knowingly deceived for commercial and political purposes.

- Can you describe such phenomena?

- The list is long and not yet exhausted, because it is necessary to take into account still unknown atmospheric and meteorological phenomena. Among the phenomena which may give rise to misunderstandings, these are the most characteristic, not to mention the "visions" prompted by the causes of popular anxiety, such as these parachutists spotted by artillerymen in May 1940, who every night shoot at... Venus!

1. The rising and setting of the planets (Especially Venus and Jupiter).

2. The "shooting stars" and the "fireballs": one tonne a day arrives on the earth. The light is produced by the heating of the aura on the meteoric trajectory. The smallest shooting stars visible to the naked eye are grains of matter of 1 milligram which vanish completely between 120 and 90 kilometers. Only the fast fall on the ground limits the complete destruction of the bolides, that a longer course in the atmosphere would also annihilate.

3. The phenomena of "parhelia", which give rise to false suns, together with halos, and which are explained by the presence in the upper atmosphere of hexagonal prismatic ice needles. The concentration of light rays (sun and moon) in calm air on these crystals produces luminous spots on the right and left of the sun or moon at an equal distance from the halo radius of 22 degrees 5. A halo occurs more with other suns or other moons, with a double angular diameter.

Thus the inhabitants of Péronne "believed to see" an unexpected sun eclipse on June 20 and 21. A normal halo of exceptional intensity occurred, about which Daniel Roguet, astronomical correspondent, described the effects in these terms:

"At certain times, depending on the cirrhus [sic] variation, the inside of the halo was very dark gray-black and the iridescent colors of the halo as bright as those of a beautiful rainbow, beyond it, a milky sky, slightly ocher, forming a magnificent contrast with the central part".

4. The high-voltage power line balls that serve as landmarks for aviators were recently mistaken for mysterious craft by cyclists who at night saw these balls swept by the lighthouse of an airfield.

5. Weather balloons from meteorologists.

6. Ball lightning: these are configurations that occur at certain thunderstorms, with a precarious charge balance.

7. The phenomenon of mirage in the atmosphere. You know how it happens on the ground: the light rays do not propagate in a straight line in hot air, but they just reflect on the film of overheated air, for example by the road tar during the summer. You think you see puddles of water in front of you [mir1]. The inversion of temperature at altitude also causes a change in the index of refraction: hence the effect for an aviator to see a spot of light go straight ahead, while this point has its real source on the ground. [mir2]

The object, which always seems to be at the speed of the airman, is, moreover, characteristic of the object situated at very great distances.

- But is it not possible to scientifically design terrestrial craft comparable to the "saucers" seen here and there?

No, for the great velocities of which the "witnesses" claim these "machines" are animated could only be reached in regions of rarefied air, at the limit of the atmosphere. The mechanical action of the air on their surface would soon have dispersed the molecules of the substance which they would be made of.

In short, to summarize the scholar's thought, there are three elements to be distinguished in these flying saucers stories:

1. A scientific element: discussion of observations, explanation of natural phenomena, sociological explanation of the phenomena of collective hallucination [hal].

2. A logical element: inconsistency of opinions and testimonies.

3. A political element: excitement of public opinion, substitution of imaginary problems for real problems, etc. [pol]

Mr. Evry Schatzman has enumerated the phenomena of vision, false perception, and hallucinations which may explain the most precise and complete testimonies-which are a minor infirmity and always subject to caution.

There is no scientist to take seriously the assumptions made by scientific writers, science-fiction specialists and members of the Pentagon [pol], who have also renounced the theory of extraterrestrial craft, as revealed in the last book by Mr. Keyhoe.

The saucers museum is always empty of exhibits. And it is difficult to admit, if the "saucers" are terrestrial craft, that we never collected a single fragment [fra], never heard the supersonic detonation [sup], nor ever observed a perturbation in the air.

It should also be noted that "saucers" and "other cigarillos" seem to be systematically missing in the Soviet skies, Chinese skies and people's democratic countries... [pol] [est]

This is not the place to comment on the "true" - there are - and the "false" in the remarks attributed to Evry Schatzman; I wanted to make a few brief comments anyway:

[ast] This is literally true: Evry Schatzman certainly never met an astronomer "giving credence to the saucer stories". What would be false is to claim that none existed (Hynek, La Paz, Tombaugh...)

[pol] Like many other French scientists of that time, Evry Schatzman was a Marxist, with an devotion to the ideology of the USSR. It had been claimed in these circles that the "saucers" were "political", that is, the "Pentagon" used them to make people anxious, whereas Communist countries would not do such a thing.

[est] It is totally false that there were no "saucers" in the Communist countries. Read Boris Shurinov, Felix Zigel, for example.

[mir1] It must be understood that the mirages on the ground do not make appear "saucers" nor "spacecraft".

[mir2] Evry Schatzman believed correct the ideas of the "skeptic" American astronomer Donald Menzel. They are without foundation on this matter; there has never been anything like a "luminous mirage in the sky". What can happen is a refraction of radar waves, detecting objects on the ground (truck, boats) and then showing them on the radar screens - but with the speed of movement and the trajectory of the truck or boat... The radarists of the time had to recognize them as such; later, these "false echoes", these radar returns of slow objects on the ground were filtered electronically so that the radar men did not have to bother about them anymore.

[sup] It is the French scientist Jean-Pierre Petit who later showed how even with our already known technologies (MHD), it would be possible to suppress the sonic boom. The argument could stand in 1954, it should no longer be used.

[fra] There is no shortage of cases with "fragments"; certainly often debatable if not debunked. The museum of the saucers remains to be built, no one having ever been concerned to preserve correctly the most intriguing fragments.

[hal] Mistakes are obviously not "collective hallucinations", the journalist does not seem to understand. Misinterpretations and collective misinterpretations exist, "collective hallucinations" simply do not exist. The problem is very rarely a "false perception", it is often a "false interpretation".

[Ref. cpd1:] NEWSPAPER "LE COURRIER PICARD":

Scan.

STLL
"saucers"
IN THE SKY
OF FRANCE

NEVERS, October 8. - Several inhabitants of Corbigny (Nièvre) declared to have seen in the night from Wednesday to Thursday, in the sky, a luminous object in the shape of cigar, carrying two discs in its lower part. The machine was moving at high speed.

For his part, an office worker said he saw a large, orange-colored luminous disc with dazzling clarity behind it.

Two inhabitants of Montlevicq, in the Indre, saw a flying saucer moving slowly in the sky above the Bois de Boulaise. Thirty kilometers away, in Saint-Plantaire, other people said they saw a luminous object the size of a soccer ball.

In the Lapoustelle district, of Orthez, near the Tour-Moncade, in the Landes, a very brilliant disc was seen in the sky by about twenty people; this disc took a red color, stopped for a moment, then disappeared.

Glowing globes were seen in the sky by two traders from Saint-Bihy, near Quentin (Côtes-du-Nord), consumers of a drinking establishment went outside to observe the same phenomenon.

In the Loiret, an employee of a Cholette [sic] company stated that he had seen a luminous machine of oval shape moving at high altitude.

Other people, working in vineyards also reportedly saw an identical machine.

[Ref. fso1:] NEWSPAPER "FRANCE-SOIR":

Scan.

Petrifying rays, flying eggs throughout France

[Ref. ner1:] NEWSPAPER "NORD ECLAIR":

Scan.

DISCS
AND LUMINOUS
GLOBES
ALL OVER
FRANCE

(CONTINUED)

One saw again yesterday, flying over all of France, groups of mysterious and luminous objects: orange cigars, round saucers "like soccer balls", red discs and strange globes in Crbigny [sic] (Nièvre), Montlevicq (Indre), Orthez Basse-Pyrénées), Saint-Bihy (Côtes-du-Nord), Cholette [sic] and Dordives (Loiret). In Puymoyen (Charente) one discovered at the place where a saucer had landed, twelve small heaps of ash in the middle of a circle of one meter fifty in diameter and among the ashes little sticks. The gendarmes of Angoulême think that these sticks are strips of tubular powder used in artillery.

[Ref. nnm1:] NEWSPAPER "LE NOUVEAU NORD MARITIME":

Scan.

THE "FLYING SAUCERS"

-- Nevers, 8. -- Several residents of Corbigny (Nièvre) said they saw on the night from Wednesday to Thursday, in the sky, a luminous object in the shape of a cigar, carrying at its lower part two discs. The crat was moving at high speed.

For his part, an office worker claims to have observed a large, luminous disc of orange-yellow color with a dazzling clarity at the back.

-- Châteauroux, 8. -- Two residents of Montlevicq saw a flying saucer moving slowly in the sky above the woods of Boulogne. Some 30 kilometers away, in Saint-Plantaire, other people said that they had seen a luminous object the size of a soccer ball.

-- Orthez, 8. -- In the Lapoustelle district of Orthez, near the Moncade tower, a very brilliant disc was seen in the sky by about twenty people, this disc took on a red color, stopped for a moment and then disappeared.

-- Saint Brieuc, 8. -- Glowing globes were seen in the sky by two traders from Saint-Bihy, near Quintin (Côtes-du-nord); consumers of a drinking establishment went out to observe the same phenomenon.

-- Montargis, 8. -- An employee of a Cholette company said he saw a luminous oval cigar moving around at great altitude.

Other people, working in vineyards would also have seen an identical craft.

In Dordives, two residents said they had seen in the sky a bizarre object which was moving at high altitude, rising quickly disappeared westbound.

A "Martian" in a cloak

Chaumont, 8. -- Mr. André Narcy, 48, roadmender in Mertrud (Haute-Marne), was on his way to work on Wednesday morning by motorcycle when, near Voillecomte, he noticed an unknown orange-colored vehicle in a field.

A hundred meters from the object, he saw nearby, a small being, being about 1.20 meters tall, dressed in a cloak covered with hair. Mr. Narcy was very scared and lay down on the ground. Then he called the individual who, after turning to him, rushed into his craft which immediately flew away vertically to get lost in the clouds.

According to Mr. Narcy, the craft was spherical, with a diameter of about 10 meters. Under the sphere was a kind of spindle and the porthole through which the being entered the craft, was just between the spindle and the body of the craft. At the start of the latter, a kind of flame came out of the spindle while a large vaporous eddy occurred under the apparatus.

Mr. Narcy went immediately to his work where he narrated his adventure to his comrades. With two of them, MM. Riel and Henry, he returned to the place where he noticed that the dew no longer existed on a certain surface. The grass had a slightly milky hue and was crushed on a square about three meters aside. In addition, 12 parallel tracks resembling round footprints were spread over a certain distance, suggesting that the craft had landed in a series of small jolts.

[Ref. lie1:] NEWSPAPER "LIBERTE":

Scan.

SAUCER...
... when you gotta hold on us

NEVERS. -- Several residents of Corbigny (Nièvre) stated they saw in the night from Wednesday to Thursday in the sky a luminous object in the shape of a cigar, carrying at its lower part two discs. The craft was moving at high speed.

For his part, an office worker claimed to have observed a large, luminous disc of orange-yellow color with a dazzling clarity at the back.

CHATEAUROUX. -- Two residents of Montlevicq saw a flying saucer moving slowly in the sky above the Bois de Boulaise woods. Thirty kilometers away, in Saint-Plantaire, other people said they saw a luminous object the size of a soccer ball.

ORTHEZ. -- In the Lapoustelle district of Orthez, near the Moncade tower, a very bright disc was seen in the sky by approximately twenty people. This disc took a red color, stopped for a moment, then disappeared.

SAINT-BRIEUC. -- Glowing globes were seen in the sky by two traders from Saint-Bihy, near Quintin (Côtes-du-nord). Consumers of a drinking establishment went out to observe the same phenomenon.

MONTARGIS. -- An employee of a Cholette company claimed to have seen an oval shaped luminous craft moving at high altitude.

Other people working in the vineyards reportedly also saw an identical craft.

In Dordives, two residents stated that they had seen in the sky a bizarre object that was moving at high altitude. Rising rapidly, it disappeared towards the west.

[Ref. ads1:] NEWSPAPER "L'ARDENNAIS":

The Chronicle of the Saucers

NEVERS. -- Several inhabitants of Corbigny (the Nièvre) said they saw a luminous cigar-shaped object in the night from Wednesday to Thursday in the sky carrying at its lower part two discs. The craft was moving at high speed.

Also, an office worker stated that he had observed a large, orange-yellow luminous disc, with a dazzling clarity at the back.

CHATEAUROUX. -- Two inhabitants of Montlevicq saw a flying saucer moving slowly in the sky over the Bois de Boulaise.

Thirty kilometers away, in Saint Plantaire, other people said they saw in the sky a luminous craft the size of a soccer balloon.

ORTHEZ. -- At the Lapoustelle-d'Ortez district, near the Moncade tower, a very brilliant disc was seen in the sky by about twenty people: this disc took a red color, stopped for a moment, then disappeared.

SAINT-BRIEUC -- Two luminous globes were seen in the sky by by two traders from Saint-Bihy, near Quintin (Côte-du-Nord). Consumers of a drinking establishment went out to observe the same phenomenon.

MONTARGIS. -- An employee of a Chalette company claimed to have sighted an oval luminous craft traveling at high altitude. Other people working in the vineyards have reportedly also seen an identical craft.

In Dordives, two residents reported seeing a craft in the sky that was "bizarre" and was moving at high altitude; rising rapidly, it disappeared towards the west.

[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:

French ufologist Aimé Michel reports that on October 7, 1954, in Corbigny, in the Nièvre, witnesses twice see an object corresponding to the description of a large vertical cigar, a sort of luminous cylinder of weak luminosity, orange when it is motionless and in vertical position, and white with a strong luminosity when it goes in horizontal position.

At a certain time, two small discs came out of its lower part.

[Ref. aml2:] AIME MICHEL:

[...]

As of 2 October, the number of daily observations is increasing dramatically. On October 3, there are hundreds, and probably thousands of "witnesses". And the places of observation continue to line up, forming very characteristic networks whose layout evokes a spider's web, with a sort of star-shaped center from which most of the straight lines radiate. A large proportion of cases are also located on several different alignments (at their intersection).

An example of this complex and rigorous provision is offered by the observations of October 7 (see map).

That day, on the territory of France, hundreds of "testimonies" make it possible to plot 23 observation places, of which only one is erratic, in the area of ??Toulouse. The other 22 are organized in 17 alignments:

- One seven spots line: Cherbourg; La Ferte-Macé; Saint-Jean-d'Assé; National 23, east of Le Mans; Lavenay; Montlevic; and finally Cassis.

- Three lines of four spots:

a) Marcillac; Puymoyen; Montlevic; Corbigny.

b) Isles-sur-Suippe; Montlevic; Bournel; Montpezat.

c) Saint-Savinien; Saint-Plantaire; Montlevic; Jettingen.

Finally, thirteen alignments of three spots. One can, at first glance, wonder whether three-spot alignments require an explanation other than chance. But on reflection, chance turns out to be insufficient. Indeed:

  1. On the map to the millionth used for this study, the accuracy of the alignments is of the order of a millimeter, equivalent to one kilometer, for distances sometimes exceeding 1000 kilometers;
  2. But above all, it must be emphasized that most of the spots are at the same time on several alignments (At their intersections): when one plots two spots on a surface, one gets a straight line; if four points are plotted, one gets six lines (the sides of a quadrilateral and its diagonals), determining, in addition to the four primitive spots, three spots of intersection at most; therefore, if one plots three new spots at random, what is the chance for these spots to intersect? Virtually none. The realization by chance of such a provision is therefore highly improbable. If coincidence happens regularly every day for weeks, the chance explanation becomes almost impossible.
  3. Finally (and this is perhaps the most troubling part of the case), how can it be explained by chance that this provision lasts only 24 hours?

In-depth analysis of all these alignments is beyond the scope of an article. A glance at the corresponding map is more eloquent than a long speech. We discover this feature, which I have tentatively called "orthoteny" (2), until further studies allow, if necessary, to relate it to some phenomenon already known and provided with a name existing in the dictionary.

Provisionally, therefore, the "orthoteny" is the rectilinear disposition, generating networks, of the vast majority of flying saucer observations of the Fall of 1954. This arrangement is so surprising that one must, a priori to adopt a systematic distrust about it. Before recognizing it for a real event, one must consider every possible means to reject it.

On October 7, 1954, France is furrowed with observations in a straight line.

1. CHERBOURG ...One saw luminous globes! (Paris-Presse - 10-10-1954)

2. DUCLAIR ...Mr. X, blinded by a luminous beam, reopened the eyes, saw a ball that disappeared in a few minutes. (Parisien Libéré - 9-10-54)

3. ISLES-SUR-SUIPPES ...on the edge of the road, an object of more than 3 m in length like a big shell pierced with portholes... (Paris-Presse - 10-10-54)

4. PLOZEVET ...sharp gleam, dense smoke... (France-Soir - 10-10-54)

5. SAINT-BIHY ...luminous globes... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

6. LA FERTÉ-MACÉ ...a mysterious craft, which was rising vertically, leaving behind itself a white trail... (Black out sur les soucoupes volantes, Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publishers)

7. HENNEZIES ...A "spaceship" and its occupants seen by two children... Egg-shaped object, red, the top pointed at the yky... (Black out sur les soucoupes volantes, Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publishers)

8. SAINT-ÉTIENNE ...three craft produced a violent white light; - one of the craft was round like a saucer, the two other elongated like cigars. (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

9. SAINT-JEAN-D'ASSÉ ...a gleam of an intense blue color.. (Aurore - 9-10-54)

10. BALLON ...stars as big as the Moon (sic!). (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

11. LAVENAY ...a flying egg... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

12. DORDIVES ...a weird object... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

13. CHALETTE ...an oval-shaped luminous craft. (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

14. LES AUBIERS ...a red disc... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

15. CORBIGNY Craft of cylindrical shapes, emitting red-orange gleams when they were horizontal and of a dazzling white when they rose vertically. (Aurore - 8-10-54)

16. BERUGES ...a lighted mushroom... (France-Soir - 10-10-54)

17. SAINT-SAVINIEN ...a luminous disc. (Sud-Ouest - 14-10-54)

18. SAINT-PLANTAIRE

19. MONTLEVIC ...saucers, cigars, luminous globes and flying discs... (Paris-Presse - 9-10-54)

20. JETTINGEN ...a half-spherical cupola. (France-Soir - 10-10-54)

21. PUYMOYEN ...A the place where a saucer had landed, twelve samll heaps of ash in the middle of a 1,50 m circle and, among the ashes, small sticks... (Paris-Presse - 9-10-54)

22. MARCILLAC ...shape of inverted funnel. (Combat - 12-10-54)

23. BOURNEL ...circular shape... (Combat - 12-10-54)

24. MONTPEZAT ...a luminous circle, orange-colored... (Combat - 12-10-54)

25. BEAUVOIR ...a mysterious craft flying at a rather slow pace. (Parisien Libéré - 9-10-54)

26. MONTEUX ...a phosphorescent craft and of 2,50 m height... (local Press - oct. 54)

27. BOMPAS ...a formation of saucers... (Black out sur les soucoupes volantes, Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publishers)

28. CASSIS ...the object, which seemed to be in aluminum, was very shiny. (Provençal)

Alignments exist. What do they mean? This is a mystery...

The case file is not faked

First question to ask: Is it true that the observation spots are aligned as this article claims?

To check this, just look for the spots in question on a chosen map in such a way that the lines of the map correspond as exactly as possible to the great terrestrial circles in the considered place. For France, it is the millionth map, Bonne projection, in the trade by Michelin (Michelin map nr 989). Ones locates the spots by looking for them in a dictionary of the communes, for example that of Berger-Levrault.

Second question: did the author invent all or part of these observations in order to find alignments? To enable researchers to answer this question, I have used in my research only observations that were already made public.

Third question: Did the author choose the observations that are aligned, creating a phenomenon that would not exist if other unreported observations restored the disorder of chance?

Of course, I cannot hope to know all the sightings because many of the witnesses did not say anything. But I used in my work all observations made public, as one can check by studying my book. To prepare the maps, I therefore only used published cases, and I used them all. There was no invention, no selection. Anyone can completely redo the work I did: one only needs to consult the collection of newspapers of the time, taking care though, however, of dates, not of the newspapers publication of course, but of the reported phenomena.

We come to the most delicate aspect of the problem posed by these strange alignments. What do they mean?

I have shown in detail the results of my research to several prominent scientists, including two Masters of Research at the C.N.R.S. It is very unfortunate that orthoteny is linked to the "saucer phenomenon", so discredited, because all these scientists, whom I cannot name, are now convinced that the alignments show a real and original phenomenon.

Real, that is, objectively taking place in space, not in the imagination of the witnesses.

Original, that is, not related to anything known so far. Neither airplanes, sounding balloons, sundogs, meteors, lightning bolts, nor hallucinations, lies, and facetious inventions are observed along lines forming networks. It is something else. What is it?

In my opinion, we are not close to knowing it. But perhaps the demonstration of the geometric superstructure revealed by the wave of 1954 will finally incite a greater number of scientists to worry about it. Allow me to express the wish here. Personally, the discredit that is attached to this research begins to put me down. It is overwhelming in the long run to have my curiosity viewed like a sin.

Aimé Michel

Note:

[Ref. aml3:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel explained that since December 1957, he was convinced that the "alignments" of cases on straight lines, such as those of October 7, 1954, are inexplicable, or more exactly, that they can only be explained "by the reality of the flying saucers", and that his opinion "is also that of a large number of scientists, among whom several are world-renowned."

He published a map of these alignments for this date, indicating that all the observations of October 7, 1954, are reported there:

For the case of this file, he noted:

15. CORBIGNY: Several craft of cylindrical shape, emitting red-orange gleams when they were at the horizontal and of a dazzling white when they climbed vertically. (Aurore for 8-10-54).

[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:

Scan.

October 7 [, 1954]

[... other cases...]

Night(about 00:00):Corbigny(Nièvre): cloud cigar+lum. golden circles.

[... other cases...]

Scan.

October 7 [, 1954]

[... other cases...]

morning?: Corbigny (Nièvre): vertical cloud cylinder, orange + 2smal. di

[... other cases...]

[Ref. aml4:] AIME MICHEL:

[...] On October 7 [, 1954], where the big cigar is observed in Montlevicq, Chalette, Dordives, Corbigny, where the large star-shaped networks are precisely.

[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:

254 -003.68343 47.25900 07 10 1954 CORBIGNY-NIEVRE F 122 C** 242

[Ref. pis1:] "PHENOMENES INCONNUS" UFOLOGY BULLETIN:

This ufology bulletin published a map supposed to show alignements of cases of October 7, 1954, and it included a cas in Corbigny:

[Ref. jpr1] JACQUES POTTIER:

The author indicates that on October 7, 1954, luminous discs, landing or not landing, were reported among other places in Corbigny.

The author says that the 28 places of observations [The author indicates 9 of them] formed all spots that were aligned "along a line with a precision of one millimeter." He further adds that these observations spread on "straight lines, which while crossing, drew curious geometrical star figures", and that "alignments seemed to begin around one hour in the morning, covering our areas of a tight network of investigations of unknown origin."

[Ref. gab1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "G.A.B.R.I.E.L.":

The antennas offer little information, on the other hand the lower rods are much more interesting because they are one of the particularities of a very precise type of "Flying Saucer". We will have the opportunity to come back to it, but let us point out right away that their presence is the cause of a very colorful term: the "Jellyfish Saucer". There is no shortage of observations of this type of device, we were spoiled for choice with(Hérissart, Liévin, Rue, Marcoing, Armentières, Milly, Champigny, Corbigny, [...] ... and this is only for France), [...]

(The part from which this excerpt is taken is about the question of the "antennae" of some "flying saucers". Of the cases quoted here, none is valid: those for which one could speak of "jellyfish saucer" are explained as misinterpretations, the others are cases for whichs there is no mention of antenna or anything of this kind in the reports.)

[Ref. fru1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:

The two authors indicate that in Corbigny in the department of the Nièvre on October 7, 1954, by day, a luminous machine in the shape of a cigar carrying at its lower part two red discs as well as a luminous disc of large dimension and of orange yellow color, going at a vertiginous speed, leaving behind him a dazzling light, was observed.

The machine was of cylindrical shape and emitted red and orange gleams.

The source is indicated as La Montagne for October 8, 1954.

[Ref. gep1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "GEPO":

10/07/54 (1[?].) Corbigny (Nièvre) VH03 306X2

[Ref. via1:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "VIMANA 21":

FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER: CIGARS AND MULTICOLORED DISCS IN THE SKY OF LA NIEVRE -

Nevers - After Château Chinon, it is Corbigny that takes pride in the flying saucers press releases. A state government employee observed a large yellow-orange glowing disk moving at breakneck speed, trailing a dazzlingly bright white light, comparable to the fire produced by a welding autogenous torch. Also, while she was hanging laundry in her garden, a resident of Corbigny observed a luminous craft in the shape of an elongated cigar carrying at its lower part, two round discs. This shape was greenish yellow in color. The craft rose towards the celestial vault where it disappeared while diminishing as if it were extinguishing.

The source is said to be the newspaper Le Bien Public.

[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":

4007: 1954/10/07 13:00 1 3:41:00 E 47:15:20 N 3331 WEU FRN NVR 7:9

CORBIGNY,FR:CGR W/2 SCRS on REAR:LRG SEP.SCR+CYL NEARBY:CAR EMEs:/r30p133

Ref#197 WEINSTEIN, D: French Newsclips 1954 Page No. 81 : FARMLANDS

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

The Belgian ufologist indicates that on October 7, 1954, in Corbigny (Nièvre), "Daylight observation. A luminous machine in the shape of a cigar carrying at its lower part two red discs. A luminous disc of great dimension and orange yellow color going at a vertiginous speed, leaving behind it a dazzling light. Cylindrical craft emitting red and orange gleams."

She indicates that the source is "M. FIGUET/ J.L. RUCHON: 'Ovni, Premier dossier complet...' Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979, p. 133".

[Ref. htr1:] HERBERT S. TAYLOR:

October 7, time unspecified, Corbigny (Nièvre Department). The witnesses twice saw an object that corresponded to a cloud cigar. It was a kind of luminous "cylinder," with a faintly orange light when vertical and motionless, a strong white light when moving forward horizontally. At one point, two small disks were seen to leave the lower part of the object.

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the "Nièvres" in Corbigny on October 7, 1954, at an unknown hour, "In full day a luminous machine is observed, in the shape of a cigar carrying at its lower part two red discs as well as a luminous disc of great dimension and orange yellow color going at a vertiginous speed, leaving behind it a dazzling light. Craft of cylindrical shape emitting red and orange gleams."

Luc Chastan indicates that the source is "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 6 October 1954 at night in Corbigny, France, "Nocturnal lights were reported."

The source is indicated as "Newspaper Clippings".

[Ref. uda2:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 7 October 1954 at 19:00 in Corbigny, France, "Cigar-shaped objects were observed. Three cigar-shaped objects were observed by six witnesses on a farm. Explanation: Coincidenc [sic]."

The sources are indicated as "Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Vallee, Jacques, Challenge to Science: The UFO Enigma, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Preliminary Catalog (N = 500), (in JVallee01); Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002".

[Ref. mre1:] MICHEL RIBARDIERE:

September 20, 2010

1954 Return on the wave of demonstrations of unknown machines on the national territory

1954 is an important year in the history of French ufology.

[General information]

Here some one of the encounters:

[... Other cases... ]

The day of October 7, 1954, observations, are announced in Herbourg [sic, Cherbourg], la Ferté-Macé (61), close to Saint-Jean D'Assé on main road 138, in Ballon, Lavenay, Montlevic and Cassis. These appearances are along a line with a millimeter-length precision. The same thing for Corbigny, Montlevic, Puymoyen and Marcillac i.e. on the whole 28 localities which were the theatre of demonstrations, which showed same docility to be lined up on straight lines. This at the very least strange fact was repeated curiously during the first fortnight of October. After that the wave calms down.

[... Other cases... ]

[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":

This database recorded this case 8 times instead of once:

Case Nr. New case Nr. Investigator Date of observation Zip Place of observation Country of observation Hour of observation Classification Comments Identification
19540000 00.00.1954 Corbigny France
19541001 01.10.1954 Corbigny France 19.00
19541001 01.10.1954 Corbigny France 19.00
19541006 06.10.1954 Corbigny France Night NL
19541007 07.10.1954 Corbigny France 19.00
19541007 07.10.1954 Corbigny France Tagsüber DD
19541007 07.10.1954 Corbigny France
19541011 11.10.1954 Corbigny France CE III

[Ref. wia1:] "WIKIPEDIA FR" WEBSITE:

Screenshot.

In their web page about the 1954 French flap in France, Wikipedia FR mentions 21 sightings of the "flap", including:

[... other cases...]

October 7, [1954]: ufos are observed near Saint-Jean-d'Assé, on the nationale 138, at La Ferté-Macé, Ballon, Montlevicq, Cassis, Corbigny, Puymoyen, Marcillac; twenty eight localities in total [in reality at least 55] are hit by the phenomenon.

[... other cases...]

No source is given. The links in the page lead to general information web pages about these places.

Explanations:

Map.

I see in the different sources a great confusion, which we also find among some ufologists, as to what happened there.

Obviously, there were several testimonies which are not necessarily about the same phenomenon.

I distinguish in Le Bien Public that an "employee of a State administration observed a luminous disc of large dimension, of yellow-orange color moving at a dizzying speed, dragging after it a white light of dazzling clarity, comparable to the fire produced by an autogenous welding torch." In other newspaper, the clerk saw "a large luminous disc of orange-yellow color and radiating dazzling clarity behind it."

This is quite clearly a description of a meteor.

We then have in the Le Bien Public "a female resident of Corbigny observed a luminous craft in the shape of an elongated cigar bearing at its lower part, two round discs. This shape was greenish-yellow in color. The craft rose towards the celestial vault where it disappeared while shrinking as if it were extinguishing."

Aimé Michel, Figuet and Ruchon, clearly mixed everything together as if it were a single report.

When Aimé Michel wrote that "witnesses" saw "twice" an "object corresponding to the description of a large vertical cigar, a kind of luminous cylinder of low luminosity, orange when it is in a motionless position and vertical, and white with strong luminosity when it goes into a horizontal position" with "at some time two small discs come out of its lower part", he probably arranges things to look like other cases he has makes a "category", that of a large vertical cigar "dropping" small saucers. This does not seem very solid here!

A big problem is that no time is given for either testimonial, which by the way seems to be only two testimonies. At least one looks like a meteor, the other is more difficult for me to explain.

I strongly believe there must have been a better report in the local press, but until I find it, I suggest leaving this as a meteor and an "unidentified."

Keywords:

(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)

Corbigny, Nièvre, cigar, cylinder, vertical, horizontal, mothership, disc, cloudy, orange, luminous, white

Sources:

[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.

Document history:

Version: Created/Changed by: Date: Change Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross September 12, 2005 First published.
1.0 Patrick Gross May 1, 2009 Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [goe1], [lcn1], [uda1], [uda2].
1.1 Patrick Gross February 28, 2010 Addition [jpr1].
1.2 Patrick Gross June 22, 2010 Addition [jve5].
1.3 Patrick Gross July 29, 2010 Addition [ler1].
1.4 Patrick Gross December 20, 2016 Additions [mre1], [ubk1].
1.5 Patrick Gross January 3, 2017 Addition [fso1].
1.6 Patrick Gross February 17, 2017 Addition [lpv1].
1.7 Patrick Gross October 13, 2019 Additions [ads1], [aml2], [aml3], [aml4], [pis1], [via1], [lhh].
1.8 Patrick Gross February 6, 2020 Addition [cpd1].
1.9 Patrick Gross April 6, 2020 Addition [ner1].
2.0 Patrick Gross May 15, 2020 Addition [nnm1].
2.1 Patrick Gross July 2, 2020 Addition [lie1].
2.2 Patrick Gross April 30, 2022 Additions [gqy1], [gep1].
2.3 Patrick Gross May 18, 2022 Addition [wia1].
2.4 Patrick Gross July 1, 2022 Addition of the Summary. Explanations changed, were "Not looked for yet."
2.5 Patrick Gross July 11, 2022 Addition [gab1].

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