An account in Bas-Rhin, France

GEIPAN continues to publish all of its archives on its public website www.geipan.fr. Among its publications are old cases classified at the time (A, B, C or D) which are now being re-examined, with the sole aim of being more relevant in the conclusions. Thanks to new technical means (software) and the investigation experience acquired over all these recent years, this re-examination sometimes leads to new remarks or even a change of classification. This observation case, previously classified D and named ROSHEIM (67) 22.12.1998, is part of a set of cases recently re-examined. On 22 December 1998 at around 6:05 p.m., a witness observed in the sky a luminous "serpent" shape made up of red and white discs. This luminous shape moved silently "as a mass" while forming a loop in the sky. The witness observed it for about one minute. The witness made his statement on 15 January 1999 on the advice of a friend. No other testimony was collected. It is always very important to start from the witness's interpretation and to take into account the objections he may raise (see the investigation report). - He spontaneously thought of nightclub spotlight beams, and the objection comes afterwards when he compares with photos showing those lights: "When I first saw this thing, I thought it could be a nightclub light. In the following days, I saw photos showing light beams emitted by nightclubs, and what I saw on the evening of 22 December 1998 in Rosheim did not correspond at all to that." - The witness ends his statement with: "It is the first time I observed this kind of phenomenon. Never in my life have I seen this kind of thing in the sky, except for nightclub 'lasers'." The analysis makes it possible to establish the strong probability of confusion with impact spots in the sky from ground light projectors (nightclub laser type): - At the time of the observation, the phenomenon was new for GEIPAN, but the large number of testimonies explained since (see website www.geipan.fr, case search with phenomenon Laser or Skyrose) makes it possible to affirm that the appearance and movement such as described by the witness are consistent with the impact spots of these beam projectors on low clouds. - The weather conditions are compatible with the production of spots on a sky screen (clouds) without visibility of the upward beams. The witness reports a starry sky, which remains compatible with the presence of clouds over a large part of that sky. - Nightclubs already used projectors at the time; the pattern and movement of the spots in the sky were achievable with the projector technology of that era. - Key element supporting the hypothesis: the witness himself made it, and one can explain what makes him reject this hypothesis (and ultimately report it): the first photos available at the time (and the internet did not exist or barely existed) probably showed the effects of lasers in the sky in their most spectacular version with upward beams, whereas the upward beams are not always visible, and that was probably the case that evening. Although the testimony is relatively complete with a good description of the UAP and the existence of azimuth readings, it is old (almost 20 years) and it seems difficult to find elements allowing confirmation of the hypothesis so long afterwards. Furthermore, readings of the apparent angular size of the UAP and estimates of its angular height above the horizon are missing. An on-site investigation at the time would have made it possible to explore these points further and carry out certain checks regarding the existence of a venue (nightclub, function hall, park) capable of using projectors as part of festive activities the day before Christmas. Consequently, GEIPAN classifies the case as B: probable observation of laser.