ALSACAT-1985-09-18-COLDESAINTEMARIE-1
This case came to light by the investigation report published by Eric Antoine in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit #275-276 of May - June 1987.
Eric Antoine conducted his investigation on November 13, 1985, November 14, 1985, December 4, 1985, and January 24, 1986, meeting the witness and going to the sighting location.
The sighting took place on Wednesday, September 18, 1985, at 04:30 a.m., at a place called "Glesio" (actually "Le Clésio"), altitude 650 / 714 meters, more than one kilometer before the Sainte-Marie pass, on the eastern slope, in the Haut-Rhin, northwest of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines. The witness was on Route Nationale 59 which has a 10 to 15% climb.
The witness, who requested anonymity, was a 51-year-old man born May 24, 1934, Postmaster, whose hobbies were cycling and photography.
At the time of the observation, the sky was clear, visibility was 8 km, no rain was reported, the temperature was around + 10° C at 8 a.m., and no abnormal meteorological event was reported. The stars were visible, Venus visible 3 hours before sunrise in the constellation of Gemini around 25° (NNW), sunrise took place at 5:55 a.m. UTC.
The witness had left his home at 4:05 a.m. on one of his usual outings on his racing bike, from Sainte Marie-aux-Mines to Gemmaingoutte in a round trip. He wore goggles against drafts and mosquitoes.
At exactly 4:30 a.m. when he arrived at a place called "Glesio", mechanically observing the sky, he saw a luminous blue sphere appear, stationed at an altitude of about 500 to 1000 meters to the South-South-West, at an angular height of 45 to 50°. Its angular dimension was between 5° and 6° at 0.57 meters, ie 50 to 100 meters in actual size for a distance of 500 to 1000 meters.
The witness immediately saw the rapid, oblique descent of a conical-shaped beam coming from this sphere, in which he found himself illuminated by a pale yellow-green light. The beam was between 500 and 1000 meters long, it illuminated more than 50 square meters of ground.
Suddenly the sphere and its beam disappeared on the spot without any noise. The lighting lasted only three seconds.
At the location of the luminous sphere, at the same altitude, he then distinguished a shape with blurred contours, black, elongated and wavy, similar to a serpentine, motionless, silent, positioned horizontally. Impressively long, it dissipated in place after 30 seconds. This wavy trail had an angular size of 20° at 0.57 meters which gave it a length of 174 to 348 meters for the distance of 500 to 1000 meters. During the sighting, the witness had traveled more than 50 meters on his bicycle.
The witness specified that the hue and illumination of the beam were more pronounced 10 meters south of his position, where there were young fir trees on the edge of National Route 59; and that he was not dazzled or indisposed by the observation, felt no peculiar odor nor feeling of heat, and there was no failure of the bicycle lights.
Eric Antoine published several photos of the scene, and his interpretation of the phenomenon as seen from a position behind the witness:
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Forty minutes later, on the return trip, the witness passed by the same place without noticing anything in particular. His pocket stopwatch allowed him to see a distance covered in a normal way with the time elapsed between the outward and return journey.
Eric Antoine notes that he did not find any abnormal fact either on the Alsatian side or on the Vosges side, both in terms of national power supplies and homes power supplies. The residents of Glesio, located about 6 meters from the witness during the lighting, had not noticed anything in particular that morning, their Alsatian dog who had remained outside that night had not barked - the witness also indicating that he heard no barking. The same was true for the farms in a place called "Hergauchamps" 500 meters south of the witness.
On November 13, 1985, the Commander of the Ste-Marie-aux-Mines gendarmerie brigade confirmed to Eric Antoine that the witness had come to their brigade between October 21 and 26, 1985, to report his observation, and that the gendarmes had considered him as serious and trustworthy; however, no report had been written on the grounds that the facts were too old.
Eric Antoine investigated with the Air Force, the Army, civilian air groups, the General Staff of the FATAC, and it resulted from his numerous investigations, the last dated October 1986, that no conventional aircraft or helicopter could have been in the area on 09/18/1985 between 4:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.
He noted that the place is in a thick spruce forest, near the Glesio heifer pasture, with non-electrified fences, that there were two source captors serving the Glesio, one at + 10 m to the NNE, the second at 7.50 m to the West; that there is a geological fault at + 500 m to the East, an overhead power line, direction SOUTH -> NORTH, more than 10 meters.
Eric Antoine noted that the witness, originally from the Aisne department (North of France), had been living in Alsace for 15 years, that he was married, had five children, that he had cycled the Vosges mountains since 1981. Hed a quiet, anonymous life. He noted an unstable personality, he was quite closed in on himself, with a very pessimistic character, but that he was nevertheless balanced, that he could not have mistaken a simple passage from a helicopter, that he reads and watches no science fiction, that he nevertheless owned the book "The Bermuda Triangle", that he believed in reincarnation, kept informed of UFO facts only through the press, and had only little knowledge of astronomy.
The witness was amazed by the phenomenon he had seen; which he considered to be "a wink from the invisible world around us."
Eric Antoine gave this conclusion to his investigation:
"Given the importance of the lighting and the undeniable fact that this conical beam was directed ONTO THE WITNESS, this observation is not incidental. No other clarification or new information is to be made. The witness is trustworthy. His pessimistic and philosophical character has no reason to cloud his testimony."
| Date: | September 18, 1985 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 04:30 a.m. |
| Duration: | 33 seconds. |
| First known report date: | October 21-26, 1985 |
| Reporting delay: | 1 month. |
| Department: | Haut-Rhin |
|---|---|
| City: | Col de Sainte-Marie |
| Place: | Places called "Le Glesio" on the National Road 59. |
| Latitude: | 48.248 |
| Longitude: | 7.145 |
| Uncertainty radius: | 50 m. |
| Number of alleged witnesses: | 1 |
|---|---|
| Number of known witnesses: | 1 |
| Number of named witnesses: | 0 |
| Witness(es) ages: | 51 |
| Witness(es) types: | Man, postaster, married, 5 children. |
| Reporting channel: | To the Gendarmes, then to local ufologist. |
|---|---|
| Type of location: | Mountain road. |
| Visibility conditions: | Night. |
| UFO observed: | Yes. |
| UFO arrival observed: | Yes. |
| UFO departure observed: | Yes |
| Entities: | No. |
| Photographs: | No. |
| Sketch(s) by witness(es): | No. |
| Sketch(es) approved by witness(es): | No. |
| Witness(es) feelings: | Puzzled. |
| Witnesses interpretation: | Something from an invisible worls around us. |
| Hynek: | CE1 |
|---|---|
| ALSACAT: | Possible extraterrestrial visitors. |
[Ref. eae1:] ERIC ANTOINE:
Note by the investigator.
[... Other cases...]
This short retrospective would be incomplete if I did not allude to a similar sighting that occurred on September 18, 1985, near the "Ste-Marie" pass at 4:30 a.m. The places are barely 6,000 meters apart i stright line. Summary of the facts: Mr. N., cycling enthisiast, drives towards the Col de Ste Marie. Arriving at a place called "Giesio", he sees a luminous blue sphere appear in the sky. He immediately observed the descent of a conical beam of yellow-green huet in which he found himself for two seconds. Suddenly the whole disappears silently. At the same place, the witness distinguished a wavy trail about thirty centimeters long, in a horizontal position. This dissipates on the spot in about thirty seconds. Altitude of the witness estimated between 650/714 m. Altitude of the phenomenon (sphere) 500/1000 m. A geological fault was then located more than 500 meters east of the witness, oriented south / southwest to north / northeast. The position of the witness, located between two sensors of nearby sources, was also interesting. (Source: investigations carried out between November 1985 and January 87, transmitted to LDLN on April 17, 1986).
[Ref. eae2:] ERIC ANTOINE:
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Date of investigations: Nov. 13, 1985, Nov. 14, 1985, December 4, 1985, January 24, 1986.
Date of sighting: Wednesday, September 18, 1985, time: 4:30 a.m.
Place of observation: locality "Glesio" (more than one km before the Pass of Ste-Marie, eastern side, Ht-Rhin, northwest of Ste-Marie/Mines), Michelin map 87, fold n° 16. Witness location: RN 59 (10/15% climb), alt. 650/714 m.
Witness: Mr. N., age 51, born May 24, 1934.
Profession: Postmaster, Hobbies: cycling, photos.
Distance/altitude of the phenomenon: between 500/1000 m, angular height: 45/50°.
Direction of observation: S/S.-West.
Total duration of the observation: Approximately thirty three seconds.
Direction of movement: stationary (beam descending obliquely on the witness)
Shape: spherical (sharp outline) + conical beam (+ than 50 m2 of the illuminated floor) + wavy, horizontal and immobile trail, blurred outlines.
Colors: spherical [sic], luminous blue; beam, pale yellow green; streak, black.
Dimensions: sphere between 5° / 6° at 0.57 m or 52/104 m in diameter. Beam: between 500 and 1000 m long - Wavy trail: 20° at 0.57 m or 174/348 m in length.
Noise: none.
Side effect: none.
Reaction: surprised.
Weather conditions: clear and clear sky, 8000 m of visibility. No rain reported. Temperature around + 10° at 8 a.m. (no abnormal weather events reported).
Astronomical conditions: clear skies, stars visible, NL on the 1 4th, PQ on the 21st. Autumn equinox on the 23rd. Venus visible 3 hours before sunrise in the constellation of Gemini at approx. + 25° NN/W. Sun rise at 5:55 a.m. (UTC).
Short story:
Mr. N. had left his home at 4:05 a.m. on one of his usual bike rides, from Ste Marie/Mines to Gemmaingoutte in one round trip. It is exactly 4:30 a.m. when he arrives at a place called "Glesio", mechanically observing the sky, he then witnesses the appearance of a luminous blue sphere, stationed at an altitude of about 500/1000 m at the SS/W. Immediately he observes the rapid descent of a conical beam in which he finds himself illuminated by a pale yellow-green light. Suddenly the sphere and its beam disappear on the spot without any noise. The lighting lasted only three seconds.
At the location of the luminous sphere, at the same altitude, M. N. now distinguishes an elongated and wavy black form, similar to a serpentine, silently motionless and positioned horizontally. Impressively long, it dissipates on the spot after thirty seconds. The witness, during the observation, traveled more than 50 m.
Additional Notes:
1) Mr. N. will note that the hue and illumination of the beam were more pronounced 10 m to the south of his position, where there are young fir trees on the edge of the RN 59
2) The witness will in no way be dazzled or indisposed by the observation. Feeling no particular odor or feeling of heat. Wearing
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goggles against drafts and mosquitoes.
3) Forty minutes later, during the return journey, the witness will pass at the place a second time without noting anything in particular. (No time distortion or other abnormality. The witness pocket stopwatch will mark the distance traveled in the normal way with the elapsed time between the outward and return journeys). No failure of Mr. N.'s racing bike light.
External investigations:
No abnormal fact noted on the Alsatian (68) or Vosgian (88) sides, both at the EDF [national electric co] level and at the individual level. The residents of Glesio (located approximately 6 m from the witness during the lighting) did not notice anything in particular on the morning of 1/18/85, either in terms of electricity or the behavior of their Alsatian dog who had remained outside that night. (Mr. N. notes there was no barking during his observation). Likewise at the level of the farms of the place called "Hergauchamps" 500 m south of the witness.
Gendarmerie: on November 13, 1885, the Commander of the gendarmerie brigade of Ste Marie/Mines confirmed that Mr. N. had come to their brigade between October 21 and 26, 1985 to reveal the facts. The witness was considered serious and trustworthy. Despite this, no minutes were drawn up, the facts being too old.
Air Force, Army, Civilian Air Groups, FATAC General Staff: numerous investigations (the last one being in October 1986) have proven that no conventional aircraft or helicopter could have been in the area on 9/18/45 between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m.
The witness was between two source sensors + a telephone pole of the "Glesio". By connecting this set, we get a triangle whose angles end with one of these "objects" (closest to the witness during the cone of light).
[Photo caption:] Photoset: this locates the position of the witness during the lighting, while mentioning the position of "objects" in relation to it.
Explanatory note: Arrow; exact location of the witness when he found himself in the cone of light.
a) one of the two source sensors. Sort of cover protecting the water outlet which is immediately drawn into a pipe, crossing under this National Road, feeding the "Glesio". It is important to note that the witness was at a maximum of 7.50 meters from this second source sensor during the cone of light. b) it is a PTT [phone co] telephone pole of Glesio. c) the old restaurant called "Giesio" which has been permanently inhabited for seven years. d) the TV antenna (can pick up only German channels, given the surrounding relief). e) the young fir trees to the left of the witness. According to Mr. N., these fir trees were the best lit, by this pale yellow/green light.
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Environment close to witness: (during cone beam and illumination). Thick spruce forest, Glesio heifer pasture, non-electr. Two source sensors serving the Glesio; one at + 10 m to the NN/E, the second at 7.50 m to the west. Geological fault + 500 m to the east. Electric overhead line, SOUTH direction -> NORTH, at + 10 m.
Psychological investigation: Mr. N. originally from the Aisne, has lived in Alsace for 15 years. Married, five children. Cycling the Vosges mounts since 1981. Quiet, anonymous life. Of an unstable personality. Mr. N. is nevertheless balanced and could not have mistaken a simple helicopter pass. Does not read or watch any subject of S.F. Nevertheless owns the book "Bermuda Triangle". Believes in reincarnation. Keeps abreast of UFO facts only through the press. Opinion of the witness vis-à-vis the phe-
(continued from page 34)
[Photo caption:] FREE INTERPRETATION (the phenomenon seen from an angle farther from the position of the witness during illumination).
Above, the phenomenon as described by Mr. N. Depending on the position of the phenomenon (located to the S.-S.West of the witness) and the angle of view (towards the S/S.West) the conical lighting is oriented TOWARDS the indicator. (It is of course a free interpretation which is nevertheless directly related to the statements of Mr. N. who will say that the phenomenon appeared in front of him and not directly vertically. In some of his statements N. will emphasize that this conical shaped light was directed TOWARDS HIM or FOR HIM. (As he was in the lighting area).
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(continued from page 33: "GLESIO" case
nomenon: "A glimpse of the invisible world around us". Low knowledge of astronomy. A very pessimistic character, Mr. N. is quite withdrawn into himself.
Investigator's conclusion: Given the importance of the lighting and the undeniable fact that this conical beam was directed ON THE WITNESS, this observation is not incidental. No other clarification or new information is to be made. The witness is trustworthy. His pessimistic and philosophical character has no reason to obscure his testimony.
Note: in LDLN #281-282, this errata appeared:
a) HAUT-RHIN: SUMMARY OF THE GLESIO CASE OF 09/18/85 (LDLN MAY-JUNE 1987), page 32: typing or printing error on the date of the events - See chapter "External investigations; Gendarmerie; Army de l'Air ... in the 1st and 2nd column - It is indeed 18.09.85 as the title indicates.
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There is not much missing from Eric Antoine's investigation, except to specify that the Moon did not rise until 10:45 a.m. on the day and place of the observation. I understand that the phenomenon is nothing like the Moon, but some "skeptics" argue, not without reason, that it is always good to check whether the Moon was present or not.
As for the rest, it is clear in my opinion that there is no "ordinary" artificial or natural phenomenon that would account for this sighting, if it occurred as reported by the witness.
I think the "least worst" explanation is therefore that he saw the manifestation of a "craft" of extraterrestrial origin, the only weakness of the case being the uniqueness of the witness.
Possible extraterrestrial visitors.
* = 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 |
| Editor: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Create/changed by: | Date: | Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | August 21, 2022 | Creation, [aea1], [aea2]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | August 21, 2022 | First published. |
