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ALSACAT:

ALSACAT is my comprehensive catalog of UFO sighting reports in Alsace, the region is the North-East of France, whether they are "explained" or "unexplained".

The ALSACAT catalog is made of case files with a case number, summary, quantitative information (date, location, number of witnesses...), classifications, all sources mentioning the case with their references, a discussion of the case in order to evaluate its causes, and a history of the changes made to the file. A general index and thematic sub-catalogs give access to these Alsatian case files.

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Case of Vendenheim, on July 20, 2007:

Case number:

ALSACAT-2007-07-20-VENDENHEIM-1

Summary:

Ufologists from the Alsatian ufology association SPICA had reported on July 24, 2007, that there had been an article in the regional newspaper Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace, apparently on July 20, 2007, describing a July 20, 2007 sighting; the article is not available to me at the moment.

The SPICA ufologists were quick to think that they were projectors of the Skytracer type used during the animation "Ill aux Lumières" in Strasbourg (which took place from July 6 to August 20, 2007).

To verify this hypothesis, two of them went to the Stephansberg in Nordheim, a place from which one can view both Strasbourg and the Vendenheim sector, almost as far as Brumath. At 10:45 p.m., they did see a luminous spot appear in the sky above Strasbourg, making an almost elliptical turn, the imperfect ellipse corresponding to the ceiling of scattered clouds, a ceiling which was practically total on the evening of the observation.

They then observed three luminous spots, then two spots, which crossed in the sky, turning over Strasbourg and heading very far towards the North and towards the West of Strasbourg, not too much towards the South of Strasbourg.

The SPICA ufologists explained that what may have confused the witnesses is that the animation "Ill aux Lumières" had used several Skytracers which rotated very quickly in the sky, and in an irregular manner, and this on several occasions, whereas the Skytracers of discotheques have more regular movements, and can last for hours.

They added that what explains the fact that the Skytracers of "Ill aux lumières" were heading more towards the North and towards the West is that the animation was not intended to illuminate the sky, but certainly for close lighting effects for the spectators.

Data:

Temporal data:

Date: July 20, 2007
Time: Night.
Duration: ?
First known report date: July 20, 2007
Reporting delay: Hours.

Geographical data:

Department: Bas-Rhin
City: Strasbourg
Place: ?
Latitude: 48.571
Longitude: 7.748
Uncertainty radius: 10 km.

Witnesses data:

Number of alleged witnesses: ?
Number of known witnesses: ?
Number of named witnesses: ?
Witness(es) ages: ?
Witness(es) types: ?

Ufology data:

Reporting channel: The regional Press.
Type of location: ?
Visibility conditions: Night.
UFO observed: Yes.
UFO arrival observed: ?
UFO departure observed: ?
Entities: No.
Photographs: No.
Sketch(s) by witness(es): No.
Sketch(es) approved by witness(es): No.
Witness(es) feelings: ?
Witnesses interpretation: ?

Classifications:

Hynek: NL
ALSACAT: Skytracers.

Sources:

[Ref. spa1:] "SPICA" UFOLOGY GROUP:

Fw: Observation on Strasbourg

Spica.57
Jul. 24. 2007

Subject: Observation on Strasbourg

Hello

Here is an article from the DNA describing an observation Friday July 20.

[Article not available online.]

We are searching for other witnesses

Thank you for contacting us

Regards

The website of the SPICA association
http://www.spica.org

Observation Strasbourg

Spica.57
Jul. 28, 2007

Following the article of July 20, here are the conclusions : Skyrosers of the "Ill aux lumières" event of Strasbourg

CKR

The website of the SPICA association
http://www.spica.org

[Ref. spa2:] ASSOCIATION UFOLOGIQUE "SPICA":

07/20/2007 Vendenheim (67)

To verify the hypothesis of a skyroser, I went with Marie Paule Morgenthaler to the Stephansberg (Nordheim). This place allows you to observe Strasbourg as well as the Vendenheim sector, almost as far as Brumath.

At 10:45 p.m. local time, a bright spot appeared in the sky above Strasbourg. This spot made an elliptical turn. This circular tour was not, in appearance, perfectly elliptical, but seemed to have moments when it came closer to the center, optical effect or due to the clouds which on the evening of the 27th were only scattered, unlike on the evening of the 20th when they were practically total.

After a few moments we were able to observe 3 bright spots, then 2 spots which even crossed themselves in the sky. These circles circled above Strasbourg and headed very far north and west of Strasbourg, not too far south of Strasbourg.

What may have disturbed the witnesses in relation to the discotheque skyroser is that this "Ill in the lights" animation used several skyrosers which were spinning very quickly in the sky, and in an irregular manner, and this a few times.

Unlike the skyrosers of regular-spinning discos, which are either single-beam or multi-beam, and this for hours and at a slower speed. In addition, the multiple beams of the disco skyrosers all rotate in the same direction and never intersect.

What explains the fact that the skyrosers were heading more north and west is that the animation was not intended to light up the sky, but certainly for close lighting effects for the spectators.

[Ref. spa3:] UFOLOGY GROUP "SPICA":

City Date and hour of observation General shape
Identification
General color
Hypothesis
Conclusion
VENDENHEIM Friday 20 July 2007 at 11:10 p.m. Circular, round or disc (2D)
Artificial luminous reflection (projector)
white
Artificial luminous reflection (projector)
Solved

Discussion:

Map.

About "Skytracers":

Skytracers.

One sometimes call them "discotheque lasers", it is often so in the regional Pres, as a cause of UFO sightings. They are actually not lasers but projectors of ordinary light.

The purpose of these Skytracers is to get attention from far away, up to miles away. Lasers are mostly effective on location, inside a nightclub or on a concert place.

Skytracers.

Their light can be white, but it can also have a green, blue, red, yellow hue... Motors are used to move the projections on 1, 2 or 3 axis. By software, they can be programmed to perform sequences of more or less repetitive figures; as witnesses often report.

Skytracers.

When there is vapor in the air from the ground up, the Skytracer produces a beam of light, fixed or mobile.

It can produce the impression of a "luminous cigar."

Skytracers.

But id a low cloud layer tops a mass of dry air on the ground, there is no visible beam, one sees the projection of the beam on the bottom of the clouds. It is mostly in such conditions that people sometimes are unable to recognize projectors.

With several networked and programmed Skytracers, it is possible de produce shows of the "flying saucer" or "flying saucers formation" kind.

Evaluation:

Skytracers.

Sources references:

* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.

File history:

Authoring:

Main author: Patrick Gross
Contributors: None
Reviewers: None
Editor: Patrick Gross

Changes history:

Version: Create/changed by: Date: Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross February 27, 2016 Creation, [spa2].
1.0 Patrick Gross February 27, 2016 First published.
1.1 Patrick Gross March 20, 2018 Addition [spa1].
1.2 Patrick Gross September 2, 2022 Addition [spa3].

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This page was last updated on September 2, 2022.