Saint-Lary 1991, nighttime light identified as Capella

Summary

On the night of August 6, 1991, a couple and a gendarme observed a bright yellowish light from Saint-Lary that remained visible for over an hour starting at midnight. The officer used binoculars to examine it closely. Despite its unusual appearance, GEIPAN determined it was the star Capella, whose position and brightness matched all the reported details. The honesty of the witnesses was never questioned; it was simply a misidentification of a known astronomical object.