Abondance 1985, nighttime lights mistaken for Venus

Summary

In February 1985, several witnesses in Abondance, Haute-Savoie, reported a luminous phenomenon described as a green core with green arrow shapes and flashing red lights. The object moved slowly northward and remained visible for about an hour. Originally categorised as a possible atmospheric entry, GEIPAN later re-examined the case and concluded that the witnesses had misidentified Venus, which was bright and present in the observed area yet went unmentioned in the testimonies. Despite the witnesses' credibility and precise descriptions, the match with Venus's position was decisive. The case was reclassified as PAN A.