O'Fallon, MissouriJanuary 1958

On the evening of January 10, 1958, a civilian resident of O'Fallon, Missouri reported seeing a bright object in the sky. The observer described it as star-like in appearance but noticeably larger than the North Star, with a bright yellowish color. According to the report, the object appeared at the same time every evening.

The Air Force investigator noted that the object was visible at approximately 20,000 feet, positioned about 270 degrees from the observer (roughly west of her location). The weather at the time was clear, with winds aloft measured at various altitudes by the Kansas City weather station. The observer was a housewife who reported the sighting on November 17, 1705Z (5:05 p.m.), about a week after the initial observation.

The Air Force investigation included an astronomical plot and chart created by the investigator. These documents showed that the planet Venus was visible in the evening sky at the exact time and location described by the observer. The case file includes a lengthy article about Venus's prominence in the November evening sky, describing it as the only planet then visible and noting that it would be joined by the star Aldebaran and the Leonids meteor shower. The article explains that Venus can be observed even before the sky fully darkens at dusk and can remain visible for hours after sunset.

The Air Force concluded that the sighting was most likely astronomical in nature, identifying the observed object as the planet Venus. The full case file, consisting of 13 pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.