Venus observed with binoculars and camcorder in Saint-Cyprien

Summary

On the evening of 11 February 2009, a resident of Saint-Cyprien (Pyrénées-Orientales) noticed a very bright object in the west. He viewed it first with the naked eye, then through binoculars, and finally with his camcorder's zoom, which only deepened his curiosity. A few days later he repeated the observation from a different location. The investigation revealed the object was Venus, which was particularly bright at the time. Classified A by GEIPAN, the case illustrates how a familiar celestial body can cause bewilderment when not recognised. The optical instruments, rather than clarifying matters, amplified the witness's puzzlement by distorting the planet's image.