Cook Islands, South Pacific, September 1960September 1960

Insufficient Data

Summary

On September 23, 1960, in the Cook Islands in the South Pacific, a civilian observer reported a brilliant light lasting about four seconds moving at high speed with a tail of red and blue lights. The object's track was estimated to move from north to south, falling vertically almost straight down. The sighting was observed by many people near Mauke and Raratonga stations. The report notes that the high speed, tail, and duration characteristics plus the description suggest the phenomenon was a meteor. The Air Force evaluation was inconclusive due to insufficient data.

Reported location

Cook Islands, South Pacific, September 1960

Date of incident

September 1960

State / country

? / XX

Page count

3 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 40

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 3

View transcribed text

MULTIPLE SIGHTING | PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

1. DATE | 2. LOCATION | 12. CONCLUSIONS
23 Sep 60 | Cook Islands, South Pacific | [ ] Was Balloon
 | | [ ] Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP | 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION | [ ] Possibly Balloon
Local _______________ | [X] Ground-Visual [ ] Ground-Radar | [ ] Was Aircraft
GMT 2Z/1330Z | [ ] Air-Visual [ ] Air-Intercept Radar | [ ] Probably Aircraft
 | | [ ] Possibly Aircraft
5. PHOTOS | 6. SOURCE | [ ] Was Astronomical
[ ] Yes | Civilian | [X] Probably Astronomical Meteor
[ ] No | | [ ] Possibly Astronomical
 | | [ ] Other
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION | 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE | [ ] Insufficient Data for Evaluation
4 sec | one | descending | [ ] Unknown

10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING | 11. COMMENTS
Brilliant light lasting about 4 sec moving at | High speed, tail, and duration plus the
high speed with tail of red and blue lights. | description are characteristic of a
Track estimated N to S, falling vertically | meteor.
almost due S. | 

ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28989268