Finland, February 1961February 1961

Insufficient Data

Summary

On February 12, 1961, a bright light was reported in the sky over Finland. The report came from four Finnair airline pilots flying above the cloud layer in different parts of the country. The light appeared about 20 to 30 degrees above the horizon and was seen between about 4:11 a.m. and 4:20 a.m. local time.

The pilots said the light was the size of the full moon and glowed silver. It had the shape of a round plate with hazy, unclear edges. Its brightness was compared to a strong northern light. The light in the middle of the plate slowly faded until it looked like a ring of light, then disappeared completely. Two pilots said they could see stars through the ring.

The Air Force noted that the Soviet Union launched a Venus probe on the same date, though the exact launch time was not known. The card states it is quite possible the object the pilots saw was, in fact, the rocket during its ascent.

Reported location

Finland, February 1961

Date of incident

February 1961

State / country

? / XX

Page count

4 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 41

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 4

View transcribed text

Ey boa a PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD far
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
] O Was Balloon
12 Feb 61 Finland 0 Probably Balloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION Ne Ty
: Rs BI iscsi 0 Ground- Visual O Ground-Rodar a i Ref HARON
oMT__ 1202102 XK Air Vi suel 0 Air-Intercept Radar |O Possibly Aircraft
5. ‘PHOTOS . SOURCE O Was Astronomical
Q Yes DO Probably Astronomical
No | Military O Possibly Astronomical |
7. LENGTH OF.OBSERVATION " NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE B Other__Praob Vanus Praobg
I & i O Insufficient Date for Evaluation
f O Unknown i
PRRERE R RRA Sa SN (SHINN TURNS, [AMEE | (NNR. SA—
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Size of full moon, glow-|!l. COMMENTSThe Venus probe launched by Ee
ing silver, shape of round plate whose edges | Russia was launched on the date of this
were not sharp byt hazy. Strenght of light was| sighting; the exact time of launch is
the glass of strong northern light. Slowly unknown, however. It is quite possible
light in middle of plate disappeared until it | that the object observed by the four
| looked like ring of light which disappeared pilots was, in fact, the rocket during
completely at O420. Altitude 20-30° abave its ascent.
horizon.
| ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
| : ’
SEER ESN SiR A satis : i a :

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28991396