Project Blue Book Case File
2 Mi N of Centerville, OhioMarch 1959
Summary
A bright object caught the attention of a motorist near Centerville, Ohio in March 1959. The witness was driving in a car about two miles north of town when they spotted what they described as a bright object low in the western sky, appearing roughly 5 degrees above the horizon. The person watched for about 30 minutes.
When Air Force investigators looked into the sighting, they reached out to the witness. During that contact, they learned something important: the witness had spoken with a friend who suggested the object might be the planet Mars. An astronomy check confirmed this was correct. Mars was visible in that part of the sky at that time of year and would have appeared as a bright point of light at the elevation the witness reported.
The Air Force's official evaluation of this case was "unknown," meaning the file does not indicate a final determination. However, the investigation itself pointed toward a simple astronomical explanation: what the motorist saw was likely the planet Mars.
The full case file, comprising 8 pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.
Reported location
2 Mi N of Centerville, Ohio
Date of incident
March 1959
State / country
OH / US
Page count
8 scanned pages
USAF evaluation
unknown
Microfilm
T1206, Roll 35