Lynn, Mass., January 1962January 1962

Insufficient Data

Summary

On the night of January 17, 1962, a witness in Lynn, Massachusetts saw a bright object moving across the sky. The witness described the object as resembling a light that changed in brightness but had the sharpness of a star. It appeared elliptical in shape and moved from the northwest toward overhead, remaining visible for more than an hour and two minutes.

The Air Force investigators who reviewed the case concluded that the object was probably a weather balloon, or balloon for short. They noted that the night was particularly bright because the moon was approaching full phase, making it easy to spot a balloon against the sky. They also observed that the object's changing brightness matched what would be expected from a balloon reflecting moonlight.

However, the investigators acknowledged in their final assessment that they did not have enough information to say with complete certainty what the witness had seen. Their conclusion, as they stated it, was that the sighting represented "insufficient information, but probably a balloon."

The full case file, including the witness questionnaire and official evaluation forms, is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, totaling 13 pages.

Reported location

Lynn, Mass., January 1962

Date of incident

January 1962

State / country

? / XX

Page count

13 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 44

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 13

View transcribed text

| PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD |
1 . ¥. DAT": 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
9 ia | 0 _Was Balloon |
: 17 Jan 1902 Lynn, Mass. Probably Balloon |
3 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION ROSIE MIAN
FRR ER H Ground- Visual O Ground-Radar ox or a APR |
: GMT 11] 235 8 a Air Visuol 0 Air-Intercept Radar 0. Possibly Mrerctt
BR [8 BOURGET he Wes Astrenomiedl
b ay O Yes : D Probably Astronomical
1 &X No | Civilian DO Possibly Astronomical
BB 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE ® orherl Licihbts Kennp|
; 0 Insufficient Data for Evaluation i
{ lL hr. 2 min. 50 sec. | ] | hi |
7. BT a EB TT Ea ESS CEE
: 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 11. COMMENTS
4 : The object observed by this witness
: An object described as "like a light, chang- |was probably a Wx balloon. This was a
: ing brightness, with the sharpness of a star” |bright nignt due to the moon approaching
wa3 observed by cone witness at Lynn, Mass. full and it would have been rather easy
# 5 bject described as elliptical and moving to spot a vailoon. The length of the :
3 | om the Northwest to cverhead was observed [brightness tends to substantiate this
E for more than an hour. as the probable cause. Sufficient
4 information to definitely state the
: cause of this sighting is not available.
3 Therefore, it is classed 2s insufficient
1 information, but probably a balioon.
1 ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52) Wr i : ; :
4 PICEA Ra INT IN drcxde (AAG einli K<Tie yg
1

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28996068