Astoria, New YorkMay 1961

On May 23, 1961, a resident of Astoria, Queens, New York, observed an unusual object from a window between 5:15 and 5:25 a.m. The witness initially thought the object resembled a star, though it appeared lower in the sky than a typical star would be. As the witness watched, the object became brighter and eventually resembled what was described as a "lighted globe." Two smaller star-like objects appeared near the larger object, positioned at its side. The witness noted that the phenomenon exhibited some kind of symmetry in both eyes, suggesting the observation involved optical effects.

The initial observation was made from the window of a residence near the Bulova Watch Company building on Astoria Boulevard in Jackson Heights. The sky conditions were clear with good visibility. The object remained stationary relative to the observation point and was centered in the area in front of the Bulova facility.

After the witness initially released the sighting from notice, the object was retrieved for further examination. The witness completed a detailed technical information questionnaire provided by the U.S. Air Force to gather as much detail as possible about the observation. While the OCR quality of the supporting documentation makes some details difficult to parse with certainty, the case file indicates that the sighting was investigated and filed as an unidentified observation.

The Air Force's evaluation of this case is listed as unknown. The complete case file, consisting of fourteen pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.