Monroe, LouisianaJanuary 1962

Insufficient Data

Summary

On January 15, 1962, witnesses in Monroe, Louisiana, reported objects in the sky. The sighting was made at about 1058 GMT, before dawn. It was seen from the ground by civilians.

The objects were described as round, about the size of a half dollar, and white with an occasional rust color in the center. There were three or more of them. They were also described as arrow-shaped and were very bright. Witnesses said the objects wobbled like a top, gave off streams of light, and performed maneuvers including a 20 degree bank. The objects were first seen in the south, about 10 degrees above the horizon, and faded from sight to the south. The sky was clear.

The Air Force record card lists this case as astronomical. The card states the cause was the bright stars Beta Centauri and Beta Crucis, which were on the horizon due south of the observer and were distorted by atmospheric refraction. An investigating airman noted that weather balloons had been released nearby a few hours before, and offered a preliminary opinion that the objects were a combination of balloons and the rising moon.

Reported location

Monroe, Louisiana

Date of incident

January 1962

State / country

LA / US

Page count

4 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 44

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 4

View transcribed text

: PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
Rise % Ee O Was Balloon |
15 January 1962 Monroe, Louisiana O Probably Belloon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION Q Possibly Balloen
; O Was Aircraft
Local ooo 8 Ground- Visual DO Ground-Raodar Q Probably Aircraft
GMT 15/ 0587 OQ Ai~ Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar DO Possibly Aircraft 5
5. PHOTOS 6. SOURCE 88 Was Astronomical {
QO Yes So O Probably Astronomical”
8 No Civilian O Possibly Astronomical
7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE GQ Ofer is eae |
o Frans want Data for Evaluation |
3 or more orm
10, BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING ; 11. COMMENTS |
Cbjects described 25 round. Size of 1/2 Beta Centaurus and Beta Crux magnitudes
lollar, white in color and very bright were 0.2 and 1.5. The characteristics
cbserved by witnesses in Monroe, La. Shaped ttributed to objects of this signting
I ike an arrow. lMofticn attributed to objects [are similar to those of stars distorted
Dy witness was wobbling. Streams of light oy atmospheric refraction. Bright stars
was reported to have come from objects. This [Beta Centaurus and Beta Crux are on hor-
jobject was [irst observed in S and appeared izon due 5 of observer at time of this
|= ] .sappear without caanging its relative signting. It is concluded that these
lirecyvion, stars distorted by atmospneric
efraction is the cause & of this sightidg.
ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
y -

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28996043