Long Beach, CaliforniaJuly 1956

Unidentified

Summary

On July 16, 1956, a civilian in Long Beach, California reported seeing a round object about the size of a pea with white and red flashes. The object was observed at an angle of 45 degrees and an azimuth of 90 degrees. The sighting lasted 25 minutes. The object moved in a circle through high sky. An Air Force officer concluded the sighting was likely astronomical in nature, probably the planet Mars, noting that the clearest night of the year in Southern California may have confused the observer. The Air Force evaluation was unidentified.

Reported location

Long Beach, California

Date of incident

July 1956

State / country

CA / US

Page count

2 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 25

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 2

View transcribed text

PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD

1. DATE: 16 July 1956

2. LOCATION: Long Beach, California

3. DATE-TIME GROUP: Local

4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION: [illegible]

5. PHOTO: GW-L/07402
Yes
No

6. SOURCE: Civilian

7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION: 25 minutes

8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS: One

9. COURSE: moving in circle thru high sky

10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING: One round object, the size of a pea with white w/red flashes. Object held arms length, tail observed. Seen at an angle elevation of 45 degs and azimuth of 90 degs.

12. CONCLUSIONS:
Balloon
Probably Balloon
Possibly Balloon
Was Aircraft
Probably Aircraft
Possibly Aircraft
Astronomical Mars
Probably Astronomical
Possibly Astronomical
Other
Insufficient Data for Evaluation
Unknown

11. COMMENTS: Concur with the opinion of the Concur officer that this reporting was astronomical in nature. In all probability the sighting was the planet Mars. The object sighted was the probable Mars.

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28966202