Delaware, OhioAugust 1952

On August 29, 1952, an astronomer at Perkins Observatory near Delaware, Ohio saw something unusual in the night sky. Using the observatory's telescope, a 5-inch refractor with 80 times magnification, he watched a yellow-to-red object that appeared to be attached to something else. The observer reported the object intermittently at various times through September, noting that the object moved in oscillating motions, swinging about 20 degrees on each side of due south. He watched it through the telescope for about an hour and 15 minutes.

The observer was quite certain about what he saw and considered various explanations. In his questionnaire responses, he ruled out astronomical possibilities entirely, writing that he was "absolutely certain" the lights were "attached to aircraft of some type." He also noted the lights had no halo and no fuzz, and described the yellow light as having the brightness of Jupiter but diminishing intermittently and irregularly. He observed a separate red light that was flashing. Despite these observations, the observer's opinion was that the object was an aircraft.

The Air Force investigated by contacting several aviation facilities in the Columbus area. Jones Flying Service at Sullivant Avenue Airport reported no aircraft aloft on that date carrying anything other than conventional navigation lights. The Civil Aeronautics Administration at Port Columbus Airport found no record of unusual aircraft lights on July 29 but noted an advertising blimp over the Ohio State Fair on August 25 and 26. Lockbourne Air Force Base and North American Aviation's Columbus Division both confirmed they had no aircraft airborne at the reported times. The Air Force also sent inquiries to Northways Airpark in Columbus, though the response is unclear in the file.

Despite these inquiries, the Air Force concluded the object was unidentified. The case file as held by the National Archives comprises 31 pages.