13 NM SSE Of Melrose, New Mexico Cannon AFB, September 1960September 1960

On September 30 and again between October 28 and 31, 1960, military personnel at Melrose Gunnery Range, thirteen nautical miles south-southeast of Melrose, New Mexico near Cannon Air Force Base, spotted a bright, round light in the evening sky. The object was about the size of an automobile headlight. At first, one observer thought it was a large star, but closer examination suggested it was a headlight roughly a mile away. The observer even investigated the range gate, thinking someone might be there, but found no one.

The light slowly descended from about 15 degrees above the horizon until it disappeared below the horizon. The entire descent took between 20 and 22 minutes, descending at a rate of about 0.8 degrees per minute. As the object fell, its color changed. It started as a bright white light but gradually became more orange and less luminous. Observers used a theodolite (a surveying instrument with about 20-power magnification) to track the sighting. At least twelve other military personnel on duty at the base also witnessed the object.

The Air Force investigation concluded the sighting was likely a balloon or a similar reflective object released by a local organization or base. The report noted that since all sightings occurred at dusk, a light source would be necessary for observation. The slow rate of descent and the object's appearance in the sky supported the balloon hypothesis. No known aircraft or balloon releases in the area could account for the sighting. However, investigators also suggested the object might have been the planet Mercury, which was positioned just above the western horizon at that time, though the exact direction of the observation was not recorded, making a definitive identification impossible.

The complete case file, consisting of seven pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.