Misawa AB, Japan, February 1961February 1961

Insufficient Data

Summary

On February 23, 1961, around 10:26 a.m. GMT, a bright light was observed in the sky west of Misawa Air Base, Japan. Several witnesses saw it, including an Air Force navigator. The light was visible for about 58 minutes before disappearing.

The navigator said the light was about ten times as bright as the star Sirius, which was visible at the time. It was much larger than a star, and its brightness varied considerably. It appeared 20 to 30 degrees above the horizon and seemed to move slowly to the north. Its color ranged from pinkish white to reddish white. The navigator held a comb at arm's length and said the light could be seen through four of the spaces between the teeth.

The Air Force card states the object was probably the planet Venus. It notes Venus was at its brightest, in the reported direction, and that the object disappeared at the time the planet set. It adds that atmospheric refraction probably colored the planet and gave it apparent motion.

Reported location

Misawa AB, Japan, February 1961

Date of incident

February 1961

State / country

? / XX

Page count

3 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 41

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 3

View transcribed text

9 Nigh PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
i 7 NS. - A 3
1 1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
k O Wos Balloon
h 23 Feb 61 Misawa AB, Japan O Probably Balloon
| 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION ry, Seon
RE Ee & Ground- Visual O Ground-Rodor a Probab] ori
: GMT 10262 QO Air Visual O Air-Intercept Radar DO Possibly Aireraft
5. PHOTOS - SOURCE D Was Astronomical VEAJUS
a Yes XX Probably Astronomical
Ne Military O Possibly Astronomicel
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 4 NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE DD cca
: DO Insufficient Date for Evaluation
0 Unknown
58 min, 1 N lida ]
0. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Bright light, aprox ten 1 COMMENTS Ob jt was probably planet & x
| times as bright as star Sirius which was Venus. Venus was at its brightest, -k.3)
| visible at time. Much larger than a star. at this time and its direction was coindi-
: Intensity varied considerably. Movement dent with that reported for UFO at
appeared to be N at a slow angular velocity. | time of sighting. Atmospheric refractio
| Color range was from pinkish white to reddish] probably contributed to sighting by
white. distorting, coloring and giving apparen
motion to planet. Fact that objt
disappeared at time planet set sub stan
] tiates this conclusion. :
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
/
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S
IVE TY CR NNR 5941 hig di
te SE ld el Bid il ih i i atl A hs in baie i

/ 3

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28991531