Silvery ball with orange trail over Ville-en-Tardenois

Summary

At about 20:30 on 12 March 1982 a witness saw a very bright silvery ball roughly 80 cm in apparent diameter followed by a light-orange trail. The object did not change colour or direction throughout the observation. Investigators concluded it was most likely an atmospheric entry, either a meteorite or a re-entering satellite. GEIPAN classified the case as B.