Le Portel 1993, light balls generated by a carnival laser show

Summary

On September 4, 1993, around 10:30 p.m., numerous witnesses in the Pas-de-Calais region reported a circular luminous phenomenon composed of multiple light balls. Descriptions matched in shape and movement, initially causing alarm. GEIPAN's investigation revealed the source was a carnival equipped with rotating laser projectors, whose beams created the illusion of mysterious aerial objects. The case was resolved as an example of how human perception can misinterpret everyday events as unexplained phenomena.