An account in Pas-de-Calais, France

On November 12, 1986, from 2:45 a.m., several people in Vendin-Le-Viel (62) and in Henin-Beaumont (62) observe in the sky a luminous phenomenon that intrigues them. This observation of a luminous disc that seems to follow the observers is of a type now well known to ufologists: a misidentification with a celestial body, the Moon in this case. It is noted that this was the first interpretation of one of the witnesses: "My colleague says to me: 'The Moon is very low today.'" A relevant interpretation, but one that was challenged by his colleague: "So I say to him: 'No, that's not the Moon.'" To verify this Moon hypothesis, one must make sure that the direction of observation is consistent with the actual position of the Moon in the sky. The direction indicated by the witnesses is rather poorly described in the hearing report because the witnesses do not say which side of the road they are observing from; however, one piece of precise information is noted: "Axis of the road from Henin-Beaumont to Sallaumines," that is, due West (Azimuth 270°). The sky chart shows the Moon at 261° at 2:45 a.m., at 3°30' elevation, that is, very close to the described observation axis. It is also noted later in the testimony that the witnesses did not recognize the Moon, even though it was clearly present in their field of view: "to tell the truth: there was no Moon." The witnesses' drawings correspond exactly to the Moon, gibbous that evening, temporarily and partially masked by clouds. The description of the phenomenon's evolution, slowly lowering, descending at an angle, is absolutely consistent with a moonset. The witness indicates its disappearance at 3:07 a.m., while the setting of the celestial body is at 3:11 a.m. (center of the body at the horizon, on completely open ground), which is entirely consistent. This typical case of misidentification of the Moon observed from a car is classified "A" as perfectly identified.