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.

◀ Previous case Next case ▶

Case of the north of the Vosges, on July 25 to 28, 2009:

Case number:

ALSACAT-2009-07-00-NORDDESVOSGES-1

Summary:

In 2009, the webmaster of a sensation blog about UFOS and the paranormal published five pictures sent to him by one "Michel M".

It is said that the pictures show "ORBS" taken on July 25, 26, 28, 2009, at various time in the night, in Alsace in the north of the Vosges.

Data:

Temporal data:

Date:	July 25 to 28, 2009
Time:	Several around 09:30 p.m.
Duration:	?
First known report date:	August 16, 2009
Reporting delay:	2 weeks.

Geographical data:

Department:	Bas-Rhin
City:	In Alsace in the north of the Vosges
Place:	Outside.
Latitude:	?
Longitude:	?
Uncertainty radius:	50 km

Witnesses data:

Number of alleged witnesses:	1
Number of known witnesses:	1
Number of named witnesses:	1
Witness(es) ages:	?
Witness(es) types:	Male.

Ufology data:

Reporting channel:	"UFO and paranormal" blog by Christian Macé.
Type of location:	Outside.
Visibility conditions:	Night
UFO observed:	?
UFO arrival observed:	?
UFO departure observed:	?
Entities:	No
Photographs:	Yes.
Sketch(s) by witness(es):	No.
Sketch(es) approved by witness(es):	No.
Witness(es) feelings:	?
Witnesses interpretation:	?

Classifications:

Hynek:	?
ALSACAT:	Photo artefacts.

Sources:

[Ref. cme1:] CHRISTIAN MACE:

These ORBS captured on photographs in Alsace

These ORBS captured on photos at the end of July 2009, in Alsace, in the North of the Vosges... The camera is of the brand "VLUU L100, M100 : Samsung L100, M100"... A Big Thank You to the Friend Michel M. who took these pictures and agreed to share them with us... :

These photos from top to bottom :

Photo 1 : taken on July 28, 2009 at 09 : 35 p.m.

Photo 2 : taken on July 28, 2009 at 09 : 38 p.m.

Photo 3 : taken on July 28, 2009 at 09 : 35 p.m.

Photo 4 : taken on July 26, 2009 at 09 : 30 p.m.

Photo 5 : taken on July 25, 2009 at 09 : 54 p.m.

Scan.

Discussion:

These "ORBS", or rather "orbs", are not UFOs and not "paranormal phenomena."

They are photographic artefacts, light from the camera flash diffracted on small semi-opaque bodies like dust, insect, rain drops, droplets.

Anyone can take pictures of these "orbs" without difficulties: get outside on a rainy night, or shake a dusty tissue in a poorly lighted place, take a picture using the camera flash, et voilà! You captured "orbs".

For example, here is one "Orbs pictures" I made:

The use of the flash can be noticed by the lighting of the nearby bush.

More about "orbs" here.

Obviously there is no information at all on any visual sighting here: there isn't any, only the picture "reveals" the so-called "phenomenon". The pictures are not the original ones, so the EXIF meta-information that would show the use of the flash are not there; but the flash shows by the lighting of the nearby vegetation.

Evaluation:

Photo artefacts.

Sources references:

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

[cme1] * On the OVNI-Paranormal blog by Christian Macé, France, August 16, 2009, at http://ovniparanormal.over-blog.com/article-34962219.html

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	November 23, 2014	Creation, [cme1].
1.0	Patrick Gross	November 23, 2014	First published.

This page was last updated on November 23, 2014.