Project Blue Book Case File
Boise, IdahoNovember 1947
Summary
In November 1947, a newspaper in Boise, Idaho reported that an observer had seen an unusual object in the sky. The object gave off a pulsating bluish-green light, appeared in the southwest, and then disappeared in the northeast over a nearby mountain. The sighting lasted an unspecified length of time, and the observer watched it from the ground.
The Air Force investigation was hampered by a lack of details. According to the case file, very little could be said about the incident because there was insufficient information on which to base a solid judgment. Investigators noted that the object might have been a fireball, a natural phenomenon that occasionally appears in the night sky. The Air Weather Service also reviewed the case and determined that a synoptic weather balloon (a balloon released to measure conditions in the upper atmosphere) could have been at the location where the sighting was reported.
The Air Force concluded that the evidence was insufficient for evaluation. No photos or physical evidence was recovered. The case was later included in a broader Air Force analysis of sightings, listed among incidents where the lack of evidence prevented a definitive explanation.
The full case file, containing 10 pages, is reproduced below as held by the National Archives.
Reported location
Boise, Idaho
Date of incident
November 1947
State / country
ID / US
Page count
10 scanned pages
USAF evaluation
unidentified
Microfilm
T1206, Roll 2