Montana, May 1948 - Incident Number: 130May 1948

On May 17, 1948, a bright light was reported in the northwest sky near Plevna, Montana. The investigator noted that Venus was at its greatest brilliance that night with a magnitude of -4.2, about 100 times brighter than a first magnitude star. The light would have appeared as an intensely bright light in the northwest. The investigator concluded that if the report is accepted at face value, no astronomical explanation is possible. However, seeking a remote logical explanation, the investigator was impressed that Venus was at its greatest brilliance on this night and would have appeared as an intensely bright light in the northwest.