North Dayton, OhioJuly 1961

Unidentified

Summary

In early July 1961, a witness in North Dayton, Ohio saw a bright, starlike object moving across the sky during the early morning hours. The witness observed the object twice, watching it move from side to side. The object appeared bluish white and seemed to be in orbit. It faded from view in the northeast, roughly twenty to thirty degrees above the horizon. The first sighting lasted one minute, while the second sighting lasted about twelve minutes.

The witness was apparently watching for Echo 1 (a satellite launched by the U.S. in 1960) when he saw the object the second time. According to an Air Force analysis in the case file, a trajectory plot of Echo 1 showed it could have been visible in the area the witness described, traveling in the direction he reported. However, the elevation of an object in the night sky is difficult to estimate accurately. Most people tend to overestimate how high something appears in the sky by several degrees. The side-to-side movement the witness reported could have been caused by eye strain or the natural effect of staring at an object for a long time.

Based on this evidence, the Air Force concluded the object was most likely Echo 1, with the witness's perception of its movement explained by ordinary optical effects. The full case file, comprising nine pages, is reproduced below as held by the National Archives.

Reported location

North Dayton, Ohio

Date of incident

July 1961

State / country

OH / US

Page count

9 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unidentified

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 43

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 9

View transcribed text

Ne ll TT e— ETT A SANE toss
HAY & ii Codi Cha dul ad WHE OPI perma cms ) '
|
i
Hi
1. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS
A i PR IE AR I RP TR 00 Was Balloon
Gs Ln VR J [ZR J.L INR! x wid RY LIJid,y Shik J ol Probably Balloon
Bi iu Jeter si eC a llama ). Puassibly Bellon
3. DATE-TIME GROUP \ 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION y
3 silt & 0140 0 Was Aj
| aes UR y s Aircraft
ERE bec ER ert tl VR 0.Ground- Yi sual DO Ground-Radear =
: ume Re = seach QO Probably Aircraft
Bi GMT. Q2a5 & QO640 0 Air Visual 0 Air-Intercept Radar DO Possibly Aireraft
; 5. PHOTOS 4, SOURCE DO Was Astronomical
OC Yes O Probably Astronomical
| ££. No Civilian D Possibly Astronomicel
1 ET Ts BE re re Yr eT CE er i wp PTE IY g oI 0
7. LENGTH OF CBSERVATION | 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE 3X Over. Bob Boho Too
Fi 0 lnsufficient Data for Evaluction
Ha a : ge O Unknown Z
] 0-12 min | IL NT
i 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING Bright sturlille objl, 1. COMMENTS It is apparent witness was wat
moving across sky to Ho appeared to move side | ching for Echo I in early morini ng Hrs
CO Sides 1st sighting © man: 2nd 12 min, Colon when he saw it second time. A plot of
: bluish white. Appeared to bs in orbit. Faded Echo I indicates that it could be seen im
4 * oh fo hy PE (ONE Fa Te Ta hd + ; ; Fg ge, . . . . §
: in NE about 20-30" ahove horizon. this area moving in direction reported Hy
1 witness, but at a lower elevation. How-
1 ever, the elevation of an objt in night |sky
i oO (a - . iY
1 1s very hard to estimate accurately, evdn bi
3 experienced personnel. Most people have
A tendency te over-estimate elevation by
several degrees. ObJjt therefore probabl:
1 Scho I, 5ide to side movement attributed to
~ y _® A 5
roatraction or sta ing ot ~h JH “vr Rc cries
rgiracuvion or staring at cbjt by coBservir.
; ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)
A Y
3 :

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28993571