ALSACAT-2012-08-20-ATTENSCHWILLER-1
A 36-year-old man reported to GEIPAN, using their testimony form, the observation he made with his wife on August 20, 2012 in Attenschwiller.
He recounts that he and his wife were watching television at home with the window open when between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., they noticed, through the window, an object moving in the southern sky going to the west.
The object was orange in color, quite large, much larger than a star, it was at a low elevation, they did not need to raise their heads to observe it. They found the distance difficult to gauge.
They both observed it with the naked eye but also with 8x magnification binoculars, which enabled them to distinguish a halo and a slight trail, and an indefinable shape with a "ball of fire" aspect.
They estimated the sighting lasted less than a minute. Most of the sighting had been before the object disappeared behind their neighbors' house; they had then moved, the wife going upstairs and the husband changing places in the garden, and they had thus seen it again for a few seconds. It then seemed to them to change direction or fall, the light dimmed and may be whitened, and the object quickly disappeared.
The man stayed in the garden for another 20 minutes or a quarter of an hour, but nothing more happened.
The witness specified that the sky was clear with no clouds overhead, that there were heat flashes on the opposite side (east), at least 3 or 4 planes in the same part of the sky at the time of the disappearance of the object.
He explains that they thought they had witnessed the fall of an object, a satellite, but found the low altitude of the object was puzzling as well as its horizontal displacement which did not seem to him to correspond to this hypothesis: the object had remained perfectly parallel to the horizon for a very large part of the observation, changing direction only in the very last seconds.
He estimates that the speed was similar to that of a plane having just taken off from the Basel airport and taking the west trajectory south of Attenschwiller.
The GEIPAN noted that since the wind recorded in Basel was blowing slightly from South to West, it could not have been an object carried by the wind such as a Chinese lantern.
They concluded that in view of "the accuracy of the testimony, despite the absence of evidence", the moderately strange case is to be classified "B" as "probable observation of atmospheric re-entry: natural meteoroid or more probably satellite debris."
| Date: | August 20, 2012 |
|---|---|
| Time: | Between 10 and 11 p.m. |
| Duration: | Less than a minute. |
| First known report date: | ? |
| Reporting delay: | Hours, months. |
| Department: | Haut-Rhin |
|---|---|
| City: | Attenschwiller |
| Place: | From home in the living room then from the garden. |
| Latitude: | 47.566 |
| Longitude: | 7.463 |
| Uncertainty radius: | 1 km. |
| Number of alleged witnesses: | 2 |
|---|---|
| Number of known witnesses: | 1 |
| Number of named witnesses: | 0 |
| Witness(es) ages: | 36, adult. |
| Witness(es) types: | Man and wife, residents. |
| Reporting channel: | To the GEIPAN. |
|---|---|
| Type of location: | From home in the living room then from the garden. |
| Visibility conditions: | Night. |
| UFO observed: | Yes. |
| UFO arrival observed: | No. |
| 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: | Falling satellite? |
| Hynek: | NL |
|---|---|
| ALSACAT: | Probable Chinese lantern. |
[Ref. ge1:] GROUPE D'ETUDES ET D'INFORMATIONS SUR LES PHENOMENES AEROSPATIAUX NON IDENTIFIES (G.E.I.P.A.N.):
| ATTENSCHWILLER (68) 20.08.2012 | |
| Observed on: | 20-08-2012 |
| Region: | Alsace |
| Department: | Rhin (Haut) |
| Class: | B |
| Summary: | Observations of the silent passage parallel to the horizon of a luminous object of orange color with halo and slight drag: probable observations of an atmospheric reentry. |
| Description: |
On August 20, 2012, between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., two witnesses observed in the sky, the silent passage N-S of a very luminous object of orange color. From the object seen with the binoculars, the witnesses distinguish a halo and a slight drag. The sighting lasted less than a minute before the brightness of the object faded and it was hidden by a nearby house. Only one witness reports his observation. The wind from Basel was lightly blowing from south to west, which makes it incompatible with an object carried by the wind (ex: Chinese lantern). The duration of the observation (one minute), the drag observed with binoculars, the drop of brightness, the passage to the white are compatible with the observation of a fall of satellite debris. The Space-Track site mentions 3 debris falls that day, but the orbits do not match the observation. The evaluation of the distance of this kind of phenomenon is impossible for a witness. Given the accuracy of the testimony, despite the absence of evidence, the GEIPAN classes this somewhat strange case "B": likely observation of atmospheric reentry: Naural [sic, "natural"] meteoroid or more likely satellite debris. |
| Report: | None. |
| Details of the testimony | |
| Witness | |
| Date of the observation | 08/20/2012 |
| Document number | |
| Age | Adult (more than 18) |
| Profession | Higher Executives of Middle Executives |
| Sex | Male |
| Reaction | Active Curiosity |
| Credibility | |
| Conditions | |
| Environment | Home |
| Weather conditions | Clear sky |
| Hour of the observation | Numbered: 10 p.m. 00:00 |
| Reference frame | Sky or clouds |
| Distance between phenomenon and witness | No evaluation possible |
| Start of the observation | Start of observation by the witness |
| End of the observation | End of observation by phenomenon |
| Localization | |
| Angle of the site | Other;Not-specified |
| Direction of observation | West |
| Heading | North |
| Trajectory | straight line;Straight line;Descending |
| Nature of the observation | Object |
| Characteristic of the observation | Unique |
| Global shape | Round, circular, ball |
| Color | Orange, fire |
| Apparent size | Not-specified |
| Apparent speed | Other |
| Noise | No noise |
| Effect on the environment | Not-specified |
| Number | 1 |
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ASSISTANT MANAGEMENT OF THE TOULOUSE SPACE CENTER
GROUP FOR STUDY AND INFORMATION ON UNIDENTIFIED AEROSPACE PHENOMENA
Telephone: 05 61 27 48 01
Email: geipan@cnes.fr
Website: www.cnes-geipan.fr
As part of CNES's activity of expertise in unidentified aerospace phenomena, GEIPAN works to collect, analyze and rigorously study the testimonies collected during observations of Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena (UAP) while guaranteeing witnesses absolute discretion.
The rigor of the scientific approach requires us to gather the most precise and complete information possible, without intermediaries. The best information document is therefore one that is freely written by the witness himself. This is the purpose of the questionnaire that we are proposing to you and which must be individual and be completed separately by each of the witnesses of the observation. It is structured in several parts:
This questionnaire will be studied with the other documents dealing with the same phenomenon. When the work is completed, we will let you know the conclusions we have reached. These conclusions, the attachments and this questionnaire will be published anonymously on the GEIPAN website.
Very important: if you have a computer and Word, Open-Office or equivalent software, save this document, fill it in on your computer, and send it back to GEIPAN by email, in .doc or .pdf format. For any handwritten drawings, please scan them and insert them into the computer document; if you do not have the possibility, send it separately by mail. For the signature, insert your scanned signature, or just type your name.
If you don't have a computer, have it printed by one of your friends, or ask for a copy from GEIPAN, then fill in the document by hand, and send it back by post after keeping one copy. We thank you in advance for your contribution to our work.
The GEIPAN
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FRAME FOR GEIPAN USE Name of the case:
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS QUESTIONNAIRE WILL REMAIN ANONYMOUS
Witness Information Sheet
Name: .......
Date of birth: 25 .... / ..11 / .......... 1975 Sex: M
Home address: .........
City:
Email:
Mobile phone:
Professional activity: Executive ..........
Training level: Master..........
Have you ever testified? If yes, to:
Police
Brigade: (68300) ...........(X)
GEIPAN
Name:..........
Private investigator(s)
Name:..........
Ufologist(s)
Name:..........
Journalist(s)
Name:..........
Internet (Forum)
Website: .........
Other(s):
Name: ...........
CNES-GEIPAN INDIVIDUAL STANDARD QUESTIONNAIRE V2.01 Page | 2
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Place of observation of the phenomenon: At our home in Attenschwiller.......
Precise address: ........
City: Attenschwiller.......... CP: 68220 ...........
Date of sighting: August 20, 2012......... Age at time of sighting: 36......
Start time of the observation: between 10.00 p.m. and 10.30 p.m...... Duration of the observation: < 1 minute ........
Did other witnesses see the same phenomenon, if so how many: My wife and myself ............
Can you indicate using the Google Map site (http://maps.google.fr) the location of the observation, by placing in pencil the phenomenon and yourself.
1. Print the map from Google Map
2. Indicate your position, and that of the observation
When you have completed the questionnaire, tick the documents you have attached or completed:
Free Narrative (X)
Form (X)
Photographs of the environment (number: ..... ) ( )
Sketch of the observed phenomenon (number: ......... )( )
Maps or plans Google Map (number: 1) ....... (X)
Photographs of the sighting (number: ......... ) ( )
Videos of the sighting (number: ......... ) ( )
Other: .....
CNES-GEIPAN INDIVIDUAL STANDARD QUESTIONNAIRE V2.01 Page | 3
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This page and the following are intended to be used to independently write the story of your observation.
You are entirely free to choose the form, content and duration of your story (you can add additional pages if necessary).
We observed my wife and I with the naked eye and through 8 magnification binoculars, an object moving south in the western sky. We were watching the TV with the window open and we could notice the object through the window. .........
Orange in color, quite big (a lot more than a star), low incidence (I mean low in the sky or no need to look up to see it). Difficult to assess the distance but the binocular magnification brought a real improvement of the observation (see question 1.14). With the binoculars we could distinguish a halo and a slight trail, an indefinable form ("ball of fire").........
We estimate the sighting to be less than a minute. EAch of us had time to look at it through binoculars. Most of the sighting was before the object disappeared behind our neighbours' house. We moved, my wife upstairs and I in the garden, we saw it again for a few seconds. It looked like it was changing direction (or falling) the light dimmed and maybe whitened before quickly fading.
Clear cloudless sky overhead. Heat lightning opposite (east). At least 3 or 4 planes in the same part of the sky at the time of its disappearance. No other phenomenon observed in the 20 minutes after (I stayed in the garden for a good 1/4 hour) ..........
We think we have observed the fall of an object (satellite) but the most confusing is that I assess (see comment in 1.14) the object had a low altitude. And so the horizontal displacement does not correspond to this hypothesis. The object remained perfectly parallel to the horizon for a very large part of the observation. It was only in the very last seconds that we seemed to change direction.......
Relative speed of movement: Similar to an airplane having just taken off from Basel airport and taking the west trajectory south of Attenschwiller .........
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[Map]
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This part is about knowing the physical environment in which you were at the time of the observation. Be as specific as possible with as many figures as possible. Always indicate the margin of uncertainty on the figures you provide.
1.1 Indicate the color of the sky:
Black ......
1.2 Indicate the weather conditions at the time of the observation, try to give as many details as possible even those which do not seem interesting to you, describe if there were any developments or changes before, during and after the observation.
Clear night – heat storms opposite the phenomenon (east) ..........
The stars are perfectly visible vertically. It is more difficult to assess the conditions at the place where the object disappears (altitude cloud??) ...
1.3 Indicate the presence of stars in the sky:
No visible stars ( )
Few stars ( )
Starry sky (X)
Extraordinarily starry sky ( )
I didn't notice ( )
An obstacle prevented me from observing them ( )
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Try to take one or more photos of your observation locations. Photos are a great help for investigations.
1.4 Describe the environment you were in at the time of the observation. Give as many details as possible, even those which do not seem important to you, such as the nature of the ground, the lights etc.
Night – almost no public lighting – private street without lampposts. .......
Countryside with few constructions ........
1.5 Were you moving? Yes ( ) No (X)
1.6 Were you in a vehicle? Yes ( ) No (X)
Bike
Car
Bus
Train
Hot air balloon
Hang glider
ULM
Private aircraft
Commercial aircraft
Helicopter
Boat
Other .....
Model and identification: ..............
1.7 Were you in a building? Yes (X) No (X)
Nature of the building and observation room(s): our living room then our garden ............
1.8 Devices on or active:
Radio
(frequency: ........ )
Headlights
(number:..)
Interior lights
(number:........ )
Television
(channel: ...................)
Engine
Telephone
Radar
Other ........................
1.9 Did you see the phenomenon directly with your eyes? Yes (X) No ( )
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1.10 Indicate the presence of facilities within a radius of 20 km:
If you can, position these facilities on a map or on a Google Map image.
( ) Power Plant
( ) Disco
(X) Commercial Area
( ) Military area
( ) Nuclear power plant
( ) Stadium
(X) Highway
(X) Radio antennas
( ) Solar power plant
(X) Airport
( ) Port
( ) Lighthouse
(X) Telephone antennas
( ) Wind turbine
(X) Power line
( ) SNCF line
( ) Industrial area
( ) Factory.
Specify the type(s) of associated activity(ies): .......
Property or castle receiving events (weddings, parties): ..........
Other, specify: Basel-Mulhouse airport is very close: < 5km.......
Additional details on the facilities, if necessary: ..........
Basel-Mulhouse airport.........
1.11 Were there known sources of noise at the time of the observation, were these noises intense, permanent: (conversations, aircraft engines, cars, electric motors, television, radio):
Low TV and our conversation – Low sound environment and the phenomenon did not bring noise. .............
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1.12 What was your visibility at the time of the sighting?
Very good .........
1.13 Were objects placed between you and the phenomenon during the observation?
( ) Camera
( ) Glass
( ) Tinted glass
( ) Glass with mist
( ) Video device
( ) Glasses
(X) Binoculars
( ) Telescope
Other.....
If you used an optical device, specify the model, its main characteristics. If you were behind tinted glass, specify its color, etc.:
Very good quality Nikon binoculars - magnification x 8 .........
1.14 What was the minimum distance separating you from the observed phenomenon? Try to justify this assessment.
Difficult but the fact that the observation with binoculars brings a real improvement leads me to think that the object was at about 15Km – I found about the same improvement as the observation of an airplane at its maximum altitude. In the same logic the altitude would be approximately: 500m to 2 Km. – Which is perhaps the most confusing because the fall of an object from this altitude should not have had this horizontal trajectory and this duration of observation. ...........
1.15 Describe anything that could be disturbing to the observation.
The house of our neighbours.........
1.16 Was the observation carried out continuously or discontinuously?
(X) Continueous ( ) Discontinuous
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In this part of the questionnaire, the aim is to precisely describe the appearance of the phenomenon based on its shape, size, color, luminosity, noise, trajectory, etc. … Remember that every detail is important.
2.1 Describe the phenomenon observed by giving as much detail as possible, indicate the dominant color(s), its size, its luminosity, its noise, the number.
(Feel free to compare the overall shape to a known object)
Global shape of the phenomenon.
Orange, very bright, ball of fire, slight streak visible with binoculars, more intense color in the center with a halo and a slight streak..........
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Each sequence corresponds to an episode of your observation. Each notable modification of behavior, activity, form or trajectory of the phenomenon will have to be described by a different sequence.
Time (start time, end time, duration)
Place of observation (where were you exactly?)
Viewing direction
Horizontal (cardinal points, geographical landmarks or figures)
Vertical (between the horizon and the zenith or numbered)
Speed (numbered or otherwise)
Direction of movement of the phenomenon (it was going in the direction of, nature of the movements)
Shape; Brightness; Colors; Noises and other details
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[Les pages libres 13 et 14 sont restées vides]
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Information about you
3.1 What were your occupations before your observation?
TV.....
3.2 What caused the end of the observation?
The Phenomenon (X) Yourself ( )
Specify:..........
3.3 What did you do after your sighting?
Looked at the sky 20 to 30 mins.......
3.4 What interpretations do you give to what you have observed?
Satellite fall.......
3.5 Did this observation change your opinion on unidentified aerospace phenomena?
.........
3.6 Describe the emotions you felt during and after the observation.
Many of interrogation and a sleep inevitably a little disturbed .........
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In order to produce a restitution of the observed phenomenon, we must have as much information as possible. This last step is very important for the investigation.
4.1. Make a sketch of what you saw
OR
- You are completely free of your sketch
- No drawing skills required
- Color accuracy is important, especially if the level of contrast between the observed phenomenon and the environment is low. Try to be as precise as possible even if it means writing it on the sketch.
4.2. Reconstruct your observation on one or more shots. If you can, present your observation with a top view. To do this, you can print a Google Map of your place of observation on which you will report your different positions and directions of observation. You can also note the number of the previously detailed sequences.
- Google Map website: http://maps.google.fr
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This questionnaire is now complete and we thank you for taking the time to complete it.
Don't forget to check the table presented on page 4 one last time, because it allows us to certify all the elements that you attached for us (photos, videos, etc.).
You can either return this questionnaire to us by mail at:
National Center for Space Studies
DCT/DA/GEIPAN/bpi 2911
18 BC, Edouard Belin,
31401 TOULOUSE Cedex 9
Or by e-mail with all the digitized parts at:
geipan@cnes.fr
Made on 08/22/2012 at ...........
Signature
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Attenschwiller is located 5 km in straight line west-south-west of the Basel - Mulhouse - Freiburg International Airport and 8 km west of Basel city center.
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The wind data at Bale - Mulhouse - Freiburg airport in the GEIPAN report indicates that at 9 p.m. it was blowing from South to North, at 10 p.m. from West to East, and at 11 p.m., from South-West to North-East. It is specified that it was about gusts. So the wind has changed directions to the point that I do not think we can be certain that at Attenschwiller for the observation "between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.", it is certain that the direction of the wind can allow exclude a Chinese lantern.
These wind measurements are not detailed by altitude. Winds at lower altitudes, especially in gusty conditions, can have different directions than winds at higher altitudes.
Also, we are more than 5 km from the airport station, in a gusty situation it is not excluded that the direction of the winds was different, perhaps different only during the "least than one minute" sighting.
On the witness's map, the UFO is seen to their west, and seems to them to be heading south - it could also be southwest or southeast. On the map, the course of the UFO would be several kilometers, but it is only an impression since they did not know the nature of the UFO, therefore did not know its size. For a Chinese lantern, the observation distance would be much less than a few kilometers, as well as the length of the observed route.
In the report, the following correspond to a Chinese lantern:
Some of these features may also correspond to a falling meteor or satellite, but:
For all these reasons, and without totally ruling out a meteor or a satellite fall, I think it is more likely that it was a Chinese lantern.
Chinese lanterns are one cause of some old tales of UFO sightings: During the "airship" wave of 1896 - 1897 in the USA, during the wave of 1972 in the US Midwest, etc.
Since these miniature hot air paper balloons can be ordered on the Internet at very low cost - they also commonly found in Alsace now in stores - there is no need anymore to take the trouble of manufacturing them yourself.
So since 2005, about everywhere and of course in Alsace, many people who do not yet know about them report them as UFOs or at least as a subject of puzzlement: "It was not planes, not satellites, not helicopters, etc...", commonly appears in the stories. Indeed they aren't.
Most of the time, I certainly cannot "scientifically prove" or provide "hard evidence" that this or that report is explained by Chinese lanterns; but I see nothing opposes it and nothing would justify to call it spacecraft from another world or who knows what else.
It is sometimes possible to find that there was, precisely at that time, in the vicinity, a release of lanterns, during a party, a wedding party, a birthday party etc. But these releases are now so usual in Alsace at least that they are not necessarily mentioned on festivity calendars.
Since 2005, they constitute the bulk of the "testimonies" of UFOs found on websites devoted to the subject of UFOs and essentially publishing such "web report"; generally the only treatment is the publication, without any information on a possible cause, without any investigation or comment.
In Alsace, such releases are especially popular now since fireworks and firecrackers, long tolerated, are now prohibited for use unless special exemptions; Alsatians therefore largely adopted the lanterns.
As these lanterns are usually released at private or public parties, they are most often seen on Saturday nights, often at wedding dates or official festivities such as the National Day or New Year's Eve, usually between 10 p.m. and midnight. They are then usually released in clusters. But sometimes the purchaser performs a "test flight" a few days before, sometimes with a single lantern.
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Above: a Chinese lantern.
Probable Chinese lantern.
* = 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 |
| Editeur: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Create/changed by: | Date: | Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | March 24, 2023 | Creation, [gei1]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | March 24, 2023 | First published. |
