Mobile, AlabamaFebruary 1962

Insufficient Data

Summary

On February 19, 1962, several witnesses near Mobile, Alabama, reported an object in the sky. The sighting was made at about 2400 GMT (around sunset) and was observed for up to about 12 minutes. It was seen from the Dauphin Island toll bridge by civilians and military witnesses.

The object was reddish-orange and about one-third the size of the sun. It was just above the western horizon and its elevation stayed constant. One witness said it looked round like a small sun, while another said it later changed into the size and shape of a football. The object disappeared when a fog seemed to surround it. The weather was clear and cloudless. A nearby radar squadron did not detect anything.

The Air Force record card lists this case as astronomical, the planet Venus. The card states Venus was just rising in the west at 337 degrees on the ecliptic with a magnitude of -3.4. The first witness probably saw refraction of Venus, and others saw Venus as it appeared above the horizon.

Reported location

Mobile, Alabama

Date of incident

February 1962

State / country

AL / US

Page count

6 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 44

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 6

View transcribed text

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Mr ul ” . 3 | § ve RECORD Loy
1. DATE 2 LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
i + ODO Wos Balloon
19 Feb 62 Mobile, Alabama O Probably Bolloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION i be a
1740 " O Was Alicraft
Locol Ll22 BRE B83 Ground- Visual D Ground-Rodor QO Probably Aircrof?
GMT 19/ 24002 0 Air Visual 0 Ailreintercept Rodor O Possibly Aircraft 3
5. PHOTOS R 4X Was Astronomical [/ £,4/2 5)
O Yes - OD Probobly Astronomical
CB Ne M.litary and Civilian O Possibly Astronomicol
7. LENGTH OF OBSZRYATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE | J 0] | CAE RA TN
O Insufficient Dote for Eveluation
! 0 Unknown
12 Min. One
10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING 1\. COMMENTS
: Cb ject observed by several witnesses. For 1st Witness probably observed
:nort period of time object in W Just above refraction of Venus. Others
‘I horizon. Ex=z flevation remained conztatn. observed Venus as it gppeared above
Reddish orange in color. Observed '10-15 min. the horizon. Venus was at 337° on
after sunset. Cbject tliappearo. agg the elliptic at 1742 and just rising
surrounded by a fog. Size 1/3 of sun. in the W it had a maonitude of -3.4.
Case evaluated as Venus.
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 BEP $2)
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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28996294