What does GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2) reveal?

Gendarmerie procès-verbal PV 12943/2012 was opened on 1 September 2012 at 10:05 by unit 04395 to transmit the case to GEIPAN. The witness observed the object on 8 August 2012 at 23:00 over the commune of Volx (04130), oriented Nord-Nord-EST. Total observation lasted approximately 5 seconds; sky was clear, wind 5 km/h, no sound, no trail.

Which agency produced GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2)?

GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2) is a primary-source record from GEIPAN / CNES. Its original classification was D1 (GEIPAN classification: phénomène non identifié étrange).

When is GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2) dated?

GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2) is dated 2012-09-01. It was disclosed 2007-03-22.

What programs and topics appear in GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2)?

GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2) references GEIPAN, CNES, Gendarmerie Nationale, weaver-shuttle shape, silent flight and green-brown with dark red center.

← Files

DISCLOSURE / FILE

GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2)

GEIPAN case 2012-08-08284 (classification D1) collects a French gendarmerie procès-verbal and CNES witness questionnaire on a silent, weaver-shuttle-shaped object seen for five seconds over Volx on the night of 8 August 2012.

Brief

On 8 August 2012 around 23:00 a 38-year-old witness lying on a terrace in Volx (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, postal code 04130) observed for about five seconds a diffuse green-brown shape resembling a weaver's shuttle, perpendicular to its trajectory, with a dark red round form at its center, moving silently on a straight Nord-Nord-EST track from the head of Draco toward the lower part of Ophiuchus. The witness, an experienced sky-watcher noting Perseid season, estimated speed comparable to Mirage 2000s training at roughly 600 km/h over the Durance valley and altitude below 1000 to 1500 meters (commercial A319/A320 cruising layer). The witness filed a report with CNES/GEIPAN, then on 1 September 2012 was interviewed at gendarmerie unit 04395 (PV 12943/2012), which transmitted the file to the Préfet at Digne-les-Bains for onward investigation by the Groupe d'Étude et d'Information sur les Phénomènes Aérospatiaux Non Identifiés in Toulouse.

Metadata

Agency: GEIPAN / CNES
Release: 2007-03-22
Type: PDF • .pdf
Length: 23 pages
Classification: D1 (GEIPAN classification: phénomène non identifié étrange)
Programs: GEIPAN, CNES, Gendarmerie Nationale
Tags: weaver-shuttle shape, silent flight, green-brown with dark red center, diffuse edges, France, Volx, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, 2012, 5-second observation, single witness

Key points

Gendarmerie procès-verbal PV 12943/2012 was opened on 1 September 2012 at 10:05 by unit 04395 to transmit the case to GEIPAN.p.1
The witness observed the object on 8 August 2012 at 23:00 over the commune of Volx (04130), oriented Nord-Nord-EST.p.1
Total observation lasted approximately 5 seconds; sky was clear, wind 5 km/h, no sound, no trail.p.1
The object's shape resembled a weaver's shuttle, green-brown with a dark red round form at its center, with diffuse edges.p.1
The witness was 38 years old, lying on a deck chair on a stone-paved terrace, listening to music on intra-aural earphones with an MP3 player.p.4
The weaver-shuttle shape was perpendicular to the trajectory, which surprised the witness; he removed his earphones to listen for sound and heard none.p.4
Estimated speed was similar to Mirage 2000 jets training over the Durance valley at roughly 600 km/h or more; estimated altitude below the 1000-1500 m commercial A319/A320 cruising layer.p.5
The witness tracked the object from north of Draco's head down to lower Ophiuchus/start of Scorpius before vegetation cut the line of sight.p.5
No other witnesses; the gendarmerie noted no airport or meteorological service in their circumscription and no similar reports collected.p.1
File was transmitted to the Préfet at Digne-les-Bains (04000) for onward investigation by GEIPAN in Toulouse.p.1

Verbatim

Objet Transmission d'enquête au GEIPAN suite Phénomène Aérospatial non identifié constaté par habitant de
p.1
En effet, ce soir là je regardais les étoiles et j'ai aperçu une forme diffuse qui ressemblait à une
p.1
navette de Tisserand de couleur vert brun avec un rond rouge en son centre. L'ensemble était peu lumineux mais
p.1
Ce qui m'a le plus surpris, c'est que la forme de navette était perpendiculaire à la trajectoire (c.f. dessin du PAN §4.1). J'ai été surpris durant la première seconde car je n'avais jamais vu ce phénomène. Sans lâcher le PAN des yeux, je me suis levé pour garder le contact visuel et j'ai arraché mes écouteurs afin de pouvoir noter la présence de bruit éventuel. Le PAN glissait sans bruit.
p.4
La vitesse estimée est similaire aux mirage 2000 venant s'entraîner en NTE au dessus de la vallée de la Durance (~600km/h … peut-être plus).
p.5
N'ayant aucun aéroport, ni service météo sur notre circonscription et aucun témoignage
p.1

Most interesting

The witness was an experienced sky-watcher who distinguished between satellites, aircraft signal lights, and shooting stars and noted the night's satellite activity was 'plus prononcée que d'habitude' before the sighting.
The shuttle shape was oriented perpendicular to its direction of travel, which the witness specifically flagged as the most surprising element of the observation.
The witness reported a possible slight deformation of the sky background 'in front' of the object in the direction of travel, but explicitly declined to elaborate, writing it was 'devinée plus que réellement vue'.
The case is classified D1 by GEIPAN, the agency's category for unidentified phenomena with limited consistent data, here described in the title as 'phénomène non identifié étrange'.
The witness had already mailed a GEIPAN questionnaire before being told to file a gendarmerie procès-verbal so the agency could be formally seized of the case.

Cross-references

PDFGEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 1)GEIPAN / CNES
PDFGEIPAN Case 2012-04-08222, SAINT-LO (50) 04.04.2012 (part 1)GEIPAN / CNES
PDFGEIPAN Case 2012-06-08317, LAMBERSART (59) 17.06.2012 (part 2)GEIPAN / CNES
PDFGEIPAN Case 2012-06-08256, MAFFLIERS (95) 29.06.2012 (part 2)GEIPAN / CNES
PDFGEIPAN Case 2012-04-08222, SAINT-LO (50) 04.04.2012 (part 2)

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Common questions

What is GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2)?: GEIPAN case 2012-08-08284 (classification D1) collects a French gendarmerie procès-verbal and CNES witness questionnaire on a silent, weaver-shuttle-shaped object seen for five seconds over Volx on the night of 8 August 2012.
What does GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2) reveal?: Gendarmerie procès-verbal PV 12943/2012 was opened on 1 September 2012 at 10:05 by unit 04395 to transmit the case to GEIPAN. The witness observed the object on 8 August 2012 at 23:00 over the commune of Volx (04130), oriented Nord-Nord-EST. Total observation lasted approximately 5 seconds; sky was clear, wind 5 km/h, no sound, no trail.
Which agency produced GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2)?: GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2) is a primary-source record from GEIPAN / CNES. Its original classification was D1 (GEIPAN classification: phénomène non identifié étrange).
When is GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2) dated?: GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2) is dated 2012-09-01. It was disclosed 2007-03-22.
What programs and topics appear in GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2)?: GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2) references GEIPAN, CNES, Gendarmerie Nationale, weaver-shuttle shape, silent flight and green-brown with dark red center.
What does GEIPAN Case 2012-08-08284, VOLX (04) 08.08.2012 (part 2) say, in its own words?: "Objet Transmission d'enquête au GEIPAN suite Phénomène Aérospatial non identifié constaté par habitant de" (source p. 1).

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