ALSACAT-2004-08-08-WITTELSHEIM-1
Jean-Luc Lemaire, ufologist in the Ardennes, posted on the web on August 9, 2004, that there was a sighting in "Wietelsheim" in the Haut-Rhin on August 8, 2004, at 11:30 p.m..
Six adults who wanted to remain anonymous saw "a mass represented by 20-30 luminous dots distributed in 3D and symmetrically."
The mass is said to have been "nearly translucent", but reflective of light.
The thing was initially stationary and then "moved very quickly to disappear suddenly, leaving a luminous trail."
It is added that the altitude was estimated to have been 20,000 feet, the size was that of a big finger and a half at outstretched arm, the speed was Mach 2, there was no noise, and the position and direction were not yet known.
| Date: | August 8, 2004 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 11:30 p.m. |
| Duration: | ? |
| First known report date: | August 9, 2004 |
| Reporting delay: | Hours, 1 day. |
| Department: | Haut-Rhin |
|---|---|
| City: | Wittelsheim |
| Place: | ? |
| Latitude: | 47.809 |
| Longitude: | 7.193 |
| Uncertainty radius: | 5 km. |
| Number of alleged witnesses: | 6 |
|---|---|
| Number of known witnesses: | ? |
| Number of named witnesses: | 0 |
| Witness(es) ages: | Adults. |
| Witness(es) types: | ? |
| Reporting channel: | Ufologist Jean-Luc Lemaire on the web. |
|---|---|
| Type of location: | ? |
| Visibility conditions: | Night. |
| UFO observed: | Yes |
| UFO arrival observed: | ? |
| UFO departure observed: | Yes |
| Entities: | No |
| Photographs: | No. |
| Sketch(s) by witness(es): | Maybe. |
| Sketch(es) approved by witness(es): | Maybe. |
| Witness(es) feelings: | ? |
| Witnesses interpretation: | ? |
| Hynek: | NL |
|---|---|
| ALSACAT: | Insufficient information. |
[Ref. rio1:] "R.I.O." WEB FORUM:
285 Observation on August 8, 2004 in Wietelsheim (Haut-Rhi n)
R.I.O.
August 9, 2004
Hello all,
Jean-Luc LEMAIRE informs us of an observation:
=================================================
09 août 2004 12:00 - Témoignage d'observation d'un ovni
Place: Wietelsheim [sic] (Haut-Rhin)
Date of the observation: August 8, 2004, at 11:30 p.m.
Number of witnesses: 6 adults (wished anonimity)
Estimated altitude: 20 000 feet
Estimated size: 1.5 big finger at arm's length
Noises: none
Speed: mach 2
Exact position and direction: investigating
A masse represented by 20 to 30 very luminous spots distributed in 3D and in a symetrical manner was observed. The witnesses noticed the almost translucent mass, but reflecting light. At the beginning it was stationnary, then it moved very fast to disappear all of a sudden leaving a luminous trail.
Sketch and continuation on the website: http://exobiologie.fr.st
Jean-Luc Lemaire
ufologist
20, rue waroquier
08000 Charleville-Mézières
Phone.: [-]
=================================================
Best regards,
Jean-Jacques YVARS
[Ref. spa1:] "SPICA" UFOLOGY ASSOCIATION:
August 09, 2004 12:00 - Witness report of the observation of a UFO
Place: Wietelsheim [sic] (Haut-Rhin)
Date of the observation: August 8, 2004, at 11:30 p.m.
Number of witnesses: 6 adults (wished anonimity)
Estimated altitude: 20 000 feet
Estimated size: 1.5 big finger at arm's length
Noises: none
Speed: mach 2
Exact position and direction: investigating
A masse represented by 20 to 30 very luminous spots distributed in 3D and in a symetrical manner was observed. The witnesses noticed the almost translucent mass, but reflecting light. At the beginning it was stationnary, then it moved very fast to disappear all of a sudden leaving a luminous trail.
Sketch and continuation on the website: http://exobiologie.fr.st
Jean-Luc Lemaire
ufologist
20, rue waroquier
08000 Charleville-Mézières
Phone.: [-]
[Ref. spa2:] "SPICA" UFOLOGY ASSOCIATION:
|
WIETELSHEIM [sic] (68) Sunday, August 8, 2004 at 23:30
Source: Jean-Luc Lemaire
6 witnesses: A mass represented by 20-30 bright points distributed in 3D and in. a symmetrically way was observed. Witnesses noticed the almost translucent mass, but reflecting light. At first it was stationary, then it moved very quickly to suddenly disappear, leaving a luminous trail.
|
The primary source is nowhere to be found on the web now, and crucial information is missing, such as:
The color; as an orange color would have pointed at Chinese lanterns.
The duration; which sometimes allow to discard various possible explanations.
The case of the "almost translucent" "mass" strongly suggests that there was no real mass, it was likely been inferred from light scattering but there was not necessarily truly a mass on which the lights would have been carried.
The speed of "Mach 2" is quite perplexing, I wonder how it was estimated. If it were Chinese lanterns, they were certainly not at 20,000 feet, and thus this speed estimated could be dramatically overstated. What mattered was the duration of the observation, the angular speed of displacement, as "absolute" speed and distance generally cannot be provided reliably for something whose nature is unknown.
So this could have been Chinese lanterns, or a "real UFO", or a distant squadron of helicopters, for example.
Insufficient information.
* = 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 | September 11, 2015 | Creation, [rio1], [spa1], [spa2]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | September 11, 2015 | First published. |
