Luminous sphere in Castelnau-de-Montmiral

Summary

On February 18, 1975, just after midnight, a witness in Tarn observed a luminous sphere moving vertically and oscillating silently. The object caused alarm but made no noise, appearing to move independently. No other witnesses or records were available. Astronomical verification showed the Moon was near its western sunset, in a first quarter phase, suggesting a possible confusion with the celestial body.

The direction of the observation aligns with the Moon’s position, possibly partially obscured by low clouds, which could explain the nearly spherical appearance. However, the described movements do not easily match lunar behavior. The lack of additional testimonies and the imprecision in estimating distance and size hindered a clear identification. Ultimately, the GEIPAN classified the case as "C"—an unidentified phenomenon due to insufficient precise data.