Dover AFB, Del., February 1953February 1953

# Dover Air Force Base, February 1953

On the evening of February 22, 1953, multiple witnesses at and near Dover Air Force Base in Delaware reported seeing a bright, unexplained light in the sky. The object was first spotted around 9:30 p.m. by a civilian near the town of Milford, who described it as disc-shaped with a predominantly yellowish color and a red or bright white light turning underneath. Over the next several hours, at least four ground observers at the base and nearby reported seeing the same object, which appeared to change colors from yellow to orange to red as it hovered roughly 30 minutes above the western horizon.

Two F-84 fighter pilots from New Castle County Airport were alerted to the sighting and took off to investigate. One pilot had to abandon the pursuit due to low fuel. The second pilot climbed to 15,000 feet, then 25,000 feet, on a westerly heading and reported seeing the white light at his altitude or slightly below it, hovering in a thin haze layer. Despite flying toward Baltimore, Maryland, the pilot was unable to close the distance to the object. The radar observer on board reported no radar contact with the object. The weather that evening was clear with excellent visibility and only a thin haze layer at 20,000 feet.

In their final analysis, Air Force investigators concluded the sighting was likely the planet Jupiter. One of the pilots, who had previously worked as a navigator, stated after checking an almanac that he believed the light was definitely Jupiter. The New Castle Tower operator offered an alternative explanation: the planet Mercury. The file notes that all witnesses appeared sincere and credible, and honest errors in estimating altitude and distance under nighttime conditions were considered more likely than intentional deception.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, spanning 17 pages.