Lincoln Park, Mich, April 1962April 1962

Insufficient Data

Summary

On April 23, 1962, a resident of Lincoln Park, Michigan reported seeing a bright object in the western sky. The witness watched the light move slowly toward the horizon over the course of about one hour and fifteen minutes. According to the witness's account, the object appeared as a light rather than a solid shape. Just before it disappeared around 2130 (9:30 p.m.), the witness reported seeing it flash.

The Air Force sent a detailed questionnaire to the witness to gather more information. In the response, the witness described the object as resembling a bright light similar to a star or planet, and noted that it appeared in the western sky while they were at home. The witness provided bearing measurements and sketches showing the object's path across the sky.

The Air Force requested photographic analysis of images the witness had taken. When two photo-analysts examined the color transparencies, they found no unusual objects on the film. The prints showed only normal advertising display lighting.

In its official evaluation, the Air Force concluded that the sighting was "probably" caused by the planet Venus. Venus was indeed setting around 2130 at that location during April 1962 and would have been bright enough to attract attention, with a magnitude of minus 3.3. The investigators noted that the flashing the witness reported likely resulted from atmospheric refraction and inconsistencies in the air mass as the planet approached the horizon.

The full case file of 19 pages is reproduced below as held by the National Archives.

Reported location

Lincoln Park, Mich, April 1962

Date of incident

April 1962

State / country

? / XX

Page count

19 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 45

: Sg : PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD ; : : Ee FE eT ER OR NN A SA SE “|. DAYE 2. LOCATION 12, CONCLUSIONS N23 Avr 62 Lincoln Park 154 “+h 0 Was Balloon | 23 Apr 02 Jancoln Pars, lilcn [8] Probably Bolloon "| 3. DATETIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION 8 Possibly Balloon ; 2015-2130 . LV; E 0 Was Aircraft Local EE AR “0 Ground-Visval 0 Ground-Rodar 2 Probobly Aircraft GMT 3) /31.15 -24 /0230 0 Air Visvol a Airitercnpt Kader O Possibly Aircraft 5. PHOTOS : . SOURCE 0 Was Astronomical A Yos . ‘0.. Probably Astronomicol 3 Ne Civilian 0 Possibly Astronomical 7. LENGTH OF OBSERYATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE RRR Re EERE a. Fo eA 0D Insufficient Data for Evaluation a A 3 a 5 E 0 Unknown X hy 15 min J foward horizch : 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING voy bright objh vas 11. COMMENTS Planet Veaus 9 was probable observed in western sky that moved very sldowlycause of sighting. Planet set at this toward horizon. Objt was described as appearing|location at 2130 and was bright enought like a light. Objt was in sight for 1 hr lbmin |to attract attention, magnitude -3.3. Witness reported objt appeakred to flash just Flashing just as plenet set x was probabl; before it disappeared. due to atmospheric refraction and incon- sistencies in alr mass. ATIC FORM 329 (RXV 36 BZP 52) : .