Rotating white ball over L'Isle-en-Dodon explained by a nightclub laser

Summary

In the early hours between 12 and 13 August 1994, four people driving near L'Isle-en-Dodon, Haute-Garonne, watched a white ball rotating in the sky over a stretch of roughly 14 kilometres. The description — steady rotational movement and intense white light — drew interest, but GEIPAN's investigation pinpointed the source: an experimental skyrose-type laser projector operated by a nightclub about 6 km from the sighting location. The device, designed to create visual effects in the night sky, accounted for both the rotational movement and the perceived brightness. The case illustrates how artificial light sources can produce seemingly inexplicable sightings.