Synchronised green lights identified as a meteor over Vélizy-Villacoublay

Summary

Around 7:30 a.m. one September morning in 1986, a witness in Vélizy-Villacoublay saw about a dozen green lights moving silently from east to west in unison. The case was reported to GEIPAN in 2008, 22 years later. The investigation determined the phenomenon was a meteor that broke apart on atmospheric entry: time, direction and number of lights all matched the testimony. The witness had recorded the wrong date; the actual event occurred on 23 September, which he confirmed after recalling a press report from that day. Similar sightings were logged across France, Germany and the Benelux. GEIPAN classified the case as A—fully identified.