Colorado Springs, ColoradoOctober 1956

Insufficient Data

Summary

On October 1, 1956, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, two military and civilian witnesses observed one round flashing red and green object for two hours. The object appeared similar to a star and was the size of a pencil point at arm's length. It was bright and unmovingly pulsating. Witnesses first saw it at approximately 200 degrees elevation and 40 degrees azimuth. It was later seen at 35 degrees elevation and 50 degrees azimuth. The object rose higher in the sky slowly and remained visible through binoculars for two hours. Witnesses noted the sighting point was caused by the star Capella seen through three temperature inversions. Size, description, flight path and duration support the astronomical hypothesis. The Air Force evaluated the sighting as astronomical.

Reported location

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Date of incident

October 1956

State / country

CO / US

Page count

3 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 26

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 3

View transcribed text

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

1. DATE: 1 October 1956

2. LOCATION: Colorado Springs, Colorado

3. DATE-TIME GROUP: Level
GMT 02/0340Z

4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION:
xR Ground-Visual Ground-Radar
Air-Visual Air-Intercept Radar

5. PHOTOS:
Yes
xR No

6. SOURCE: Civilian & Military

7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION: two hours

8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS: one

9. COURSE: higher in sky

10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING:
One round flashing red and green object. Interview with two sources similar to a star and the size of a pencil indicating that this sighting point at arm's length. Object was bright and unmovingly-pulsating. Object was first seen at approximately 200dgr elevation and 40dgr azimuth. Obj was at 35 dgr elevation & 50 dgr azimuth. Obj rose higher in sky slowly. Object was soon visually and through binoculars for two hours and was still in sight when observers went to bed.

12. CONCLUSIONS:
Was Balloon
Probably Balloon
Possibly Balloon
Was Aircraft
Probably Aircraft
Possibly Aircraft
xWas Astronomical (CAPELLA)
Probably Astronomical
Possibly Astronomical
Other
Insufficient Data for Evaluation
Unknown

11. COMMENTS:
Interview with two sources similar to a star and the size of a pencil indicate that this sighting point at arm's length. Object was bright and unmovingly-pulsating. Object was first seen at approximately 200dgr elevation and 40dgr azimuth. Obj was at 35 dgr elevation & 50 dgr azimuth. Obj rose higher in sky slowly. Object was soon visually and through binoculars for two hours and was still in sight when observers went to bed. was caused by the star Capella seen through three temperature inversions. Size, description, flight path and duration support this hypothesis. Evaluation: astronomical.

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28967805