Project Blue Book Case File
Cato, New YorkSeptember 1962
Summary
A resident of Cato, New York reported seeing an unusual object in the sky in September 1962. The witness described the object as having a brightness comparable to a moderately bright star, with red as the predominant color. The object appeared to move in a wavy pattern toward the southeast, though clouds obscured part of its flight path. The sighting lasted between four and three minutes. The witness believed the object was located outside Earth's atmosphere.
The witness submitted a detailed report to the Air Force in late February 1963, nearly six months after the sighting. However, the witness was uncertain about the exact date of the sighting, which limited the Air Force's ability to investigate. The Air Force noted the delayed reporting and the lack of a precise date in its case file.
The Air Force concluded that the object was probably a satellite. The Air Force attributed the object's apparent wavy motion to atmospheric conditions, which can distort the appearance of distant objects in the sky. Because the exact date of the sighting could not be confirmed, no detailed cross-checking with satellite data or other observation records was possible. The case was marked as unidentified by the Air Force, though the probable satellite explanation was noted.
The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, comprising 12 pages.
Reported location
Cato, New York
Date of incident
September 1962
State / country
NY / US
Page count
12 scanned pages
USAF evaluation
unidentified
Microfilm
T1206, Roll 46