ALSACAT:

ALSACAT is my comprehensive catalog of UFO sighting reports in Alsace, the region is the North-East of France, whether they are "explained" or "unexplained".

The ALSACAT catalog is made of case files with a case number, summary, quantitative information (date, location, number of witnesses...), classifications, all sources mentioning the case with their references, a discussion of the case in order to evaluate its causes, and a history of the changes made to the file. A general index and thematic sub-catalogs give access to these Alsatian case files.

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Case of Seltz, on October 10, 1952:

Case number:

ALSACAT-1952-10-10-SELTZ-1

Summary:

The newspaper Les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace for October 12, 1952, reported what they called a "strange meteorological phenomenon" in the Seltz region, at 10 p.m. on "Friday," thus October 10, 1952.

A "disturbing rumble was heard moving from East to West," and at the same time a luminous trail appeared in the sky, moving in the same direction. This phenomenon was visible for 5 to 8 seconds.

Data:

Temporal data:

Date:	October 10, 1952
Time:	10:00 p.m.
Duration:	5 to 8 seconds.
First known report date:	October 12, 1952
Reporting delay:	Hours, 2 days.

Geographical data:

Department:	Bas-Rhin
City:	Seltz
Place:	?
Latitude:	48.895
Longitude:	8.101
Uncertainty radius:	1 km.

Witnesses data:

Number of alleged witnesses:	?
Number of known witnesses:	?
Number of named witnesses:	0
Witness(es) ages:	?
Witness(es) types:	Residents.

Ufology data:

Reporting channel:	Newspaper "Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace".
Type of location:	Village.
Visibility conditions:	Night.
UFO observed:	Yes.
UFO arrival observed:	?
UFO departure observed:	Yes.
Entities:	No.
Photographs:	No.
Sketch(s) by witness(es):	No.
Sketch(es) approved by witness(es):	No.
Witness(es) feelings:	Worried.
Witnesses interpretation:	?

Classifications:

Hynek:	NL
ALSACAT:	Probable jet plane.

Sources:

[Ref. dnal:] NEWSPAPER "DERNIERES NOULLES D'ALSACE":

Strange meteorological phenomenon in the Seltz region

SELTZ. -- A strange phenomenon appeared Friday evening in the sky over Seltz. It was 10 p.m. when a disturbing rumble was heard moving from East to West. At the same time, a luminous trail appeared in the sky, moving in the same direction. The phenomenon was visible for 5 to 8 seconds. (R)

Discussion:

There is obviously nothing "meteorological" about the reported "phenomenon."

At that time, a number of Canadian jet aircraft, as part of NATO, were just being stationed in the region; the rumbling and the trail in the night make it likely that this was the cause.

Evaluation:

Probable jet plane.

Sources references:

* = Source is available to me.
? = Source I am told about but could not get so far. Help needed.

[dna1] * Article in the regional newspaper les Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace, Strasbourg, France, page 17, October 12, 1952.

File history:

Authoring:

Main author:	Patrick Gross
Contributors:	None
Reviewers:	None
Editor:	Patrick Gross

Changes history:

Version:	Create/changed by:	Date:	Description:
0.1	Patrick Gross	July 3, 2025	Creation, [1].
1.0	Patrick Gross	July 3, 2025	First published.

This page was last updated on July 3, 2025.