An account in Alpes-Maritimes, France

On Saturday, August 8, 2015 at 2 a.m., a person from their home observes the silent passage of about fifty small milky-white discs (then pewter-gray) in the sky. The phenomenon is observed with the naked eye then with binoculars for 8 to 10 minutes; in their slow wavering movement, on a straight trajectory, some discs gradually separate from the front and rear of the group. The whole thing slowly disappears from the witness's field of vision. No other testimony is collected. The observation of about fifty luminous discs crossing the sky in a few minutes, on a weekend night, clearly suggests festive luminous objects carried by the wind: luminous balloons or Thai lanterns probably released nearby at the end of a private party, birthday or other. The white then gray color rather suggests luminous balloons, lit by LEDs, and inflated with helium, of a model close to: luminous balloons. Unlike Thai lanterns, these luminous balloons do not risk causing fires. The movement is observed from the Northeast toward the North, which is compatible with the light North-Northeast wind recorded at Cannes Mandelieu. As the light wind is almost facing the witness, the flying objects seem to advance very slowly (see the METEOCIEL record). GEIPAN did not receive any other testimony of this phenomenon. An investigation to find those who released the balloons is extremely difficult in an urbanized area. GEIPAN classifies this case "B" probable observation of luminous balloons.