White oval shape near the Moon at Gif-sur-Yvette

Summary

On 5 December 2003, a witness in Gif-sur-Yvette noticed a white, oval object apparently motionless near the Moon, similar in size and colour. After phoning a friend to describe it, the shape vanished within 15 to 20 seconds. The report was not filed until nearly ten years later, raising the risk of memory distortion. GEIPAN investigators concluded it was most likely a paraselene — an atmospheric optical phenomenon that produces a luminous reflection beside the Moon. The case was classified B.