Toulon, France — 23 February 1740
Rising purple globe plunges, releases balls of fire CD
During the night of 23 to 24 February people saw a purple “globe of fire” that rose gradually, and then appeared to plunge into the sea, where it rebounded. Reaching a certain height, it blew up and spread several balls of fire over the sea and the mountains. It made a sound like that of a violent thunderclap or a bomb as it burst. The witnesses reported the event to the Marquis de Caumont.
Source: Histoire de 1’Academic des Sciences, 1740. Case: W284