ALSACAT-2010-01-06-A4-1
On October 7, 2010, a man contacted the GEIPAN by telephone to report his observation of January 6, 2010 at 8:40 p.m.
The GEIPAN filled out a telephone call form, indicating that the witness was driving by car at the "Strasbourg motorway exit, direction Haguenau", with his girlfriend, when she alerted him to a luminous phenomenon which was on their left.
The witness had then observed for a few seconds, three stationary lights, of light yellow color, the triangle which they formed having a size he compared to that of an airplane.
There was no variation in size or color, no sound, no smell; the witness gave no angular size, no elevation, no direction, and as distance he said it was "close".
The GEIPAN invited this witness by mail to fill in their standard questionnaire for observation reporting, and to go to the Gendarmerie to make a statement, but the witness did not do so, even after a follow-up mail.
This case, for lack of information, has therefore been categorized "C" by the GEIPAN.
| Date: | January 6, 2010 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 08:40 p.m. |
| Duration: | A few seconds. |
| First known report date: | October 7, 2010 |
| Reporting delay: | 9 months. |
| Department: | Bas-Rhin |
|---|---|
| City: | Krautwiller |
| Place: | Driving by car at the exit to Haguenau of the A4 motorway, coming from Strasbourg. |
| Latitude: | 48.747 |
| Longitude: | 7.684 |
| Uncertainty radius: | 2 km. |
| Number of alleged witnesses: | 2 |
|---|---|
| Number of known witnesses: | 1 |
| Number of named witnesses: | 0 |
| Witness(es) ages: | Youg adults, adults of aged. |
| Witness(es) types: | Couple. |
| Reporting channel: | By phone to the GEIPAN. |
|---|---|
| Type of location: | Driving by car on motorway. |
| Visibility conditions: | Night |
| UFO observed: | Yes. |
| UFO arrival observed: | No. |
| UFO departure observed: | No. |
| Entities: | No. |
| Photographs: | No. |
| Sketch(s) by witness(es): | No. |
| Sketch(es) approved by witness(es): | No. |
| Witness(es) feelings: | Puzzled. |
| Witnesses interpretation: | ? |
| Hynek: | NL |
|---|---|
| ALSACAT: | Insufficient information, plane or Chinese lanterns. |
[Ref. gei1:] GROUPE D'ETUDES ET D'INFORMATIONS SUR LES PHENOMENES AEROSPATIAUX NON IDENTIFIES (G.E.I.P.A.N.):
| Observed on: | 01/06/2010 |
| Region: | Alsace |
| Department: | Rhin (Bas) |
| Class: | C |
| Summary: | Observation of three lights forming a triangle. |
| Description: | A witness reports to us by phone an observation made on January 6, 2010, at 08:40 p.m.. During a few seconds this automobile driver and his passenger observed a stationary luminous phenomenon made of 3 lights (pale yellow) forming a triangle whose size is compared to that of an airplane. Despite several contact attempts, the witness did not give sufficient information to allow GEIPAN to make an investigation. This case is classed C by lack of information. |
| Report: | None. |
| Witness | |
| Date of the observation | 07/01/2010 |
| Document number | |
| Age | Not specified |
| Profession | Not specified |
| Sex | Male |
| Reaction | |
| Credibility | |
| Conditions | |
| Environment | Department ways, Roads |
| Weather conditions | Not-specified |
| Hour of the observation | Numbered: 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. |
| Reference frame | Not-specified |
| Distance between phenomenon and witness | Not-specified |
| Start of the observation | Not defined |
| End of the observation | |
| Localization | |
| Angle od the site | Not-specified |
| Direction of observation | Geographical landmarks (Name of city, village, numbered, etc.) |
| Heading | None |
| Trajectory | Motionless |
| Nature of the observation | Phenomenon;Descriptive terms (lights, etc) |
| Characteristic of the observation | Unique |
| Global shape | Conical, triangle |
| Color | Yellow |
| Apparent size | Others (comparison landmarks, etc.) |
| Apparent speed | Null |
| Noise | No noise |
| Effect on the environment | Not-specified |
| Number | 1 |
DATE OF TELEPHONE CALL: 07/10/2010
WITNESS NAME: [-]
PRECISE ADDRESS: [-]
Internet address: [-]
TESTIMONY IN GENDARMERIE: will go [to the Gendarmes offices] after receipt of our mail
DATE OF OBSERVATION: 01/06/2010
OBSERVATION LOCATION: Strasbourg motorway exit, direction Haguenau
SIGHTING TIME: 8:40 p.m.
OBSERVATION DURATION: a few seconds
ENVIRONMENT OBSERVATION: The witness was driving in the car with his friend who alerted him to the fact that a luminous phenomenon was on their left. He found 3 lights, arranged in a triangle, stationary.
SHAPE: SIZE (number or comparison): as big as an airplane
COLOR: light yellow lights
LUMINANCE: normal
VARIATION IN SIZE OR COLOR: NO
CONTINUOUS VIEW OR NOT OF THE PHENOMENON: YES
END OF THE PHENOMENON (by the witness or the phenomenon): by the witness who left the highway
TRAIL: NO
WEATHER CONDITIONS:
HEIGHT IN THE SKY (number or comparison): impossible to say. But close
MOVING OR STATIONARY: stationary
TRAJECTORY:
HEADING (cardinal point or direction of a known place):
SPEED:
NOISE: OFF
ODOR: NO
PHOTOGRAPHY / VIDEO: NO
OTHER WITNESSES PRESENT: Her friend who saw the phenomenon at greater length
NOTES:
|
ASSISTANT MANAGEMENT OF THE TOULOUSE SPACE CENTER GROUP FOR STUDY AND INFORMATION ON UNIDENTIFIED AEROSPACE PHENOMENA
Mr [-]
Toulouse, 01/07/2010
DCT/DA/ /GEIPAN/ 2010.0000373
Case of observation (67) 07 01 2010/Sending Questionnaire- testimony in gendarmerie
Sir,
Thank you for your interest in Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena.
You have just testified by telephone to an observation of luminous spheres forming a triangle above [-] on January 6, 2010.
We invite you to go to the National Gendarmerie as soon as possible. An agreement indeed binds the Geipan and the Gendarmerie, and a copy of the Report will be sent to us. In addition, the gendarmes have the possibility of very quickly carrying out a small investigation with organizations such as MétéoFrance or local observatories, which allow rapid progress in the resolution of the case.
In order to help us put together a complete file concerning this observation, we invite you to return the attached form entitled "Observation report".
A sketch (or several) will also be appreciated.
Thank you for trying to answer the questions as precisely as possible, and in any case (even if you do not answer some of them) for returning the entire questionnaire to us. This data remains strictly confidential, at Geipan level, and your personal data will subsequently be anonymized.
Awaiting your response, please accept, Sir, our best regards.
GEIPAN
Headquarters 2 place Maurice Quentin - 75039 Paris cedex 01 - Phone: 33 (0)1 44 76 75 00 - www.cnes.fr
Direction of launchers - Rond Point de l'Espace - Courcouronnes - 91023 Evry cedex - Phone: 33 (0)1 60 87 71 11
Toulouse Space Center - 18 avenue Edouard Belin - 31401 Toulouse cedex 9 - Phone. 33 (0)5 61 27 31 31
Guiana Space Center Box 726 - 97387 Kourou cedex - Phone: 594 (0)5 94 33 51 11
RCS Paris B 775 665 912 Siret 775 665 912 000 82 code APE 73'1 Z VAT identification number FR 49 775 665 912
|
ASSISTANT MANAGEMENT OF THE TOULOUSE SPACE CENTER GROUP FOR STUDY AND INFORMATION ON UNIDENTIFIED AEROSPACE PHENOMENA
Mr: [-]
Toulouse, 03/28/2010
DCT/DA//GEIPAN/ 2010.03 28 05
Case of observation (67) 07 01 2010 / Relaunch Questionnaire- testimony in the gendarmerie
Sir,
Unless we are mistaken, we never received a response to our previous letter, dated January 7, 2010, accompanied by a questionnaire to be completed, and asking you to testify at the gendarmerie.
Would you like us to investigate this observation? If yes, please complete the requested questionnaire.
If not, please let us know by return mail, or by calling the following telephone number: 05 61 27 48 01 (you can leave a message).
Awaiting your response, please accept, Sir, our best regards.
GEIPAN
Headquarters 2 place Maurice Quentin - 75039 Paris cedex 01 - Phone: 33 (0)1 44 76 75 00 - www.cnes.fr
Direction of launchers - Rond Point de l'Espace - Courcouronnes - 91023 Evry cedex - Phone: 33 (0)1 60 87 71 11
Toulouse Space Center - 18 avenue Edouard Belin - 31401 Toulouse cedex 9 - Phone. 33 (0)5 61 27 31 31
Guiana Space Center Box 726 - 97387 Kourou cedex - Phone: 594 (0)5 94 33 51 11
RCS Paris B 775 665 912 Siret 775 665 912 000 82 code APE 73'1 Z VAT identification number FR 49 775 665 912
|
The witnesses were near the blue circle, at the exit of the AA4 highway towards Haguenau, coming from Strasbourg. The Strasbourg - Entzheim airport is in the red circle, 21 kilometers to their south:
|
It is therefore possible that it was an airliner approaching this airport.
I can put forward another "theory": the witness did not want to fill out the GEIPAN questionnaire or go to the Gendarmerie. Perhaps he had discovered in the meantime that the UFO was Chinese lanterns, perhaps when he wanted to fill in the GEIPAN questionnaire, where one is invited to first consult a "panoply" of trivial explanations, including the lanterns.
Insufficient information, plane or Chinese lanterns.
* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.
| Main author: | Patrick Gross |
|---|---|
| Contributors: | None |
| Reviewers: | None |
| Editeur: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Create/changed by: | Date: | Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | March 28, 2023 | Creation, [gei1]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | March 28, 2023 | First published. |
