An account in Loire-Atlantique, France

On July 19, 2014 at 11:00 PM, a group of people were observing the stars in the mountains. The only person who testified reported having noticed a luminous point with a hesitant trajectory, then other points moving strangely. Some met up to merge. Several indications from the testimony point toward the explanation: - Point-like appearance of all the UAPs - Predominantly white color. - Linear trajectory. - Disappearance and reappearance a little further away during movement. - Erratic movements in "small-radius curves." - Acceleration over short distances. - Abrupt stops. The first four points are characteristic of satellites observed at night. The observation conditions were then ideal for seeing a maximum number of them: no Moon, high altitude, little or no light pollution, summer sky. Furthermore, the observation time is also an important factor in that most satellites are visible early in the night or at dawn, being then still lit by the Sun and consequently not in the Earth's shadow cone. The following three points are linked to a natural physiological phenomenon of microscopic eye movement called "micro-nystagmus," little known to the general public, which occurs when one stares at objects, particularly at night. It results in the false impression that small luminous point objects are affected by small aberrant movements, such as zigzags or brief stops, when they are moving objects. Detailed physiological explanations are visible mid-page on forum-ovni-ufologie. This phenomenon occurs more particularly when the UAP crosses other small luminous point objects during its movement. Thus, the eye, in the presence of a new light source, tries to adapt its night vision as best as possible by "focusing" more on these new lights. The oculomotor muscles alternately and rapidly place the center of the retina (fovea) on the light sources and beside them. The brain then falsely interprets the information sent by the optic nerve from the retina as "zigzags" or "stops." Note: the testimony of the other observers could not be obtained. Consequently, GEIPAN classifies the case as B: probable observation of satellites.