Red light phenomenon observed in France in 1978

Summary

On April 23, 1978, around 20:35, an officer at the Evreux air base in France observed a red glowing point at an estimated altitude of 10 to 15 degrees. The object was located in the 300 sector of the base, and its brightness gradually decreased. Radar confirmed an echo at 18 nautical miles, moving toward the 330 sector at a speed of 30 to 40 knots. The observations lasted about seven minutes, ending at 20:51. Although only one witness was recorded, the GEIPAN ruled out conventional explanations such as helicopters or balloons. Surprisingly, Venus, which was visible in the sky that night, was not mentioned in the report, even though its position was clearly different. Due to the weak radar echo and lack of confirmation from another radar, it is considered that this could be a false echo.

The case was classified as D1 by the GEIPAN, indicating that the phenomenon is moderately unusual. Despite the good quality of the testimony, the lack of recording and the weak radar echo create some uncertainty. The possibility of a secondary reflection or measurement error cannot be ruled out. However, the coincidence between the visual observation and the radar detection, despite registration errors, suggests the event was real. This case remains a mystery without a conclusive explanation, making it an interesting example of unidentified phenomena.