Idaho Falls, IdahoDecember 1953

Insufficient Data

Summary

On December 15, 1953, at about 10:10 a.m. local time near Idaho Falls, Idaho, civilian observers reported a light. The witnesses included a guard captain and an inspector at a chemical processing plant. They used field glasses. The sighting lasted a few minutes.

The object showed seven clear white lights, with the center light much brighter than the others. To the naked eye it looked like a beam in a V shape from the center. With field glasses the individual lights could be made out. No shape and no aircraft position lights were seen, and no sound was heard. It was first seen at about a 45 degree angle in the southeast. It moved southeast in straight and level flight. The sky was clear with stars visible.

The Air Force record lists the conclusion as insufficient data for evaluation. It noted a possible aircraft but said the duration was not consistent with the detail reported. A clearance officer could not match the sighting to any known air traffic.

Reported location

Idaho Falls, Idaho

Date of incident

December 1953

State / country

ID / US

Page count

5 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 20

NE) | 1. DATE - TIME GROUP 2. LOCATION 15 Dec 53 15/1010% Idaho F.lls, 10ahof | » Jn 10. CONCLUSION insufficient data for evaluation civilian Possible a/c, however insuf deta for firm eval. Durationiot Je. NUMBER OF OBJECTS con sistant with detail reported. 1 or (7) S. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION [1]. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS 4 min Obj clear white, center light brighter than otters, looked like "V" shaped, used field glasses, flight to SE, straight & 6. TYPE OF OBSERVATION level, intial sighting at 45 deg elev. sround visual 8. PHOTOS a Yes : X Ne 9. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE 0 Yes 0 Ne : FORM on | FTD ser 63 0-329 (TDE) provieus editions of thie form may be used. b bi 1 | El]