Venus mistaken for a UFO in the Oise region

Summary

In January 1980, several witnesses in the Oise region observed a bright sphere hanging motionless in the clear sky before it drifted slowly and silently toward the southwest. They reported variations in color and size, and the object appeared to spin on its axis. The phenomenon was visible from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Astronomical analysis determined it was the planet Venus, particularly bright at that time with a magnitude of −3.8. Its disappearance time matched exactly when Venus set below the horizon.