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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 Seltz, on October 10, 1952:

Case number:

ALSACAT-1952-10-10-SELTZ-1

Summary:

The newspaper Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace for October 12, 1952, reported what they called a "strange meteorological phenomenon" in the Seltz region, at 10 p.m. on "Friday," thus October 10, 1952.

A "disturbing rumble was heard moving from East to West," and at the same time a luminous trail appeared in the sky, moving in the same direction. This phenomenon was visible for 5 to 8 seconds.

Data:

Temporal data:

Date: October 10, 1952
Time: 10:00 p.m.
Duration: 5 to 8 seconds.
First known report date: October 12, 1952
Reporting delay: Hours, 2 days.

Geographical data:

Department: Bas-Rhin
City: Seltz
Place: ?
Latitude: 48.895
Longitude: 8.101
Uncertainty radius: 1 km.

Witnesses data:

Number of alleged witnesses: ?
Number of known witnesses: ?
Number of named witnesses: 0
Witness(es) ages: ?
Witness(es) types: Residents.

Ufology data:

Reporting channel: Newspaper "Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace".
Type of location: Village.
Visibility conditions: Night.
UFO observed: Yes.
UFO arrival observed: ?
UFO departure observed: Yes.
Entities: No.
Photographs: No.
Sketch(s) by witness(es): No.
Sketch(es) approved by witness(es): No.
Witness(es) feelings: Worried.
Witnesses interpretation: ?

Classifications:

Hynek: NL
ALSACAT: Probable jet plane.

Sources:

[Ref. dnal:] NEWSPAPER "DERNIERES NOULLES D'ALSACE":

Scan.

Strange meteorological phenomenon in the Seltz region

SELTZ. -- A strange phenomenon appeared Friday evening in the sky over Seltz. It was 10 p.m. when a disturbing rumble was heard moving from East to West. At the same time, a luminous trail appeared in the sky, moving in the same direction. The phenomenon was visible for 5 to 8 seconds. (R)

Discussion:

Map.

There is obviously nothing "meteorological" about the reported "phenomenon."

At that time, a number of Canadian jet aircraft, as part of NATO, were just being stationed in the region; the rumbling and the trail in the night make it likely that this was the cause.

Evaluation:

Probable jet plane.

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 July 3, 2025 Creation, [1].
1.0 Patrick Gross July 3, 2025 First published.

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This page was last updated on July 3, 2025.