BEVERLY MASS, July 1952July 1952

On July 16, 1952, at approximately 9:35 a.m., a U.S. Coast Guard photographer at Salem, Massachusetts took a photograph of four bright lights in the sky west of the air station. The photographer had been working in his office when he noticed something bright outside and observed what appeared to be several brilliant, wavering lights for about five to six seconds. He grabbed a nearby camera, adjusted the focus to infinity, and took a photograph. As he pulled the shutter, the lights dimmed. He briefly thought he might be seeing a reflection, but when the lights grew bright again, he called a second witness to view them. By the time both men reached the window, the lights had vanished. The second witness, a hospital corpsman, only observed a momentary flash and could not provide a detailed account.

The photograph was submitted to the Air Force's technical intelligence center for analysis. Initial analysis in August 1952 concluded the photo was a hoax, noting that the four objects in the image cast no reflections on the polished automobiles visible below them, which would have been visible had the light source been external. Analysts suggested the photo might be a double exposure. However, a subsequent re-examination in October 1963 offered a different explanation. The photograph had been taken through a window, with the camera focused on infinity. The analyst concluded the four objects were actually reflections of interior light sources (probably ceiling lights) bouncing off the window pane. This explanation accounted for why the objects appeared fuzzy and out of focus while buildings and cars outside the window remained sharp, and why the brightness of the reflection would have appeared to decrease as the photographer approached the window. The file notes there was no indication the photographer had attempted to perpetrate a hoax.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives in 28 pages.