5 Mi E Of Ocoll, TennesseeApril 1960

On the evening of April 8, 1960, two people driving near Lake Ocoee in eastern Tennessee saw a bright, round object with a long trailing tail moving slowly across the sky. The object was roughly the size of a basketball held at arm's length. It appeared reddish-white in color and was much brighter than any moon the witnesses had ever seen. The sighting lasted approximately 15 minutes as the object traveled from the southeast toward the northwest, then later seemed to move toward the south. Partway through the observation, the object disappeared behind a dark cloud. When it reappeared several minutes later, it had turned a darker red color. Eventually it faded from view behind another cloud.

The main witness was a civilian who had driven out from Chattanooga that evening. He was accompanied by a woman described as the wife of a local business owner. A third witness, an employee at a nearby lodge, also briefly observed the object. The witness who submitted the detailed written account emphasized how large and bright the object appeared, noting that its long tail was exceptionally striking. He compared the object to comets he had read about, with a bright head and a broad, thin tail that extended behind it. The witnesses considered it possible the object was the Soviet satellite Sputnik, which had been in the news, though they were uncertain about the timing.

Air Force analysts who reviewed the case concluded it was "highly probable" that the witnesses had observed the vapor trail of a high-flying aircraft. The analysis noted that an aircraft at 30,000 feet altitude would still be illuminated by the sun for approximately 12 minutes after sunset at ground level, due to its height above the horizon. The reddish color the object displayed toward the end of the sighting was consistent with light from the setting sun scattering through the atmosphere at that altitude. All conventional explanations including satellites, astronomical phenomena, balloons, and natural effects like ball lightning were ruled out. The case was evaluated as unknown, though the aircraft explanation was noted as most likely. This file contains 13 pages as held by the National Archives.