Ohio-Indiana Area, January 1962January 1962

Insufficient Data

Summary

On the night of January 3, 1962, witnesses across Ohio and Indiana reported seeing bright green objects with long tails streaking across the sky. Over a period of one hour and thirty-five minutes, starting around 11:25 p.m., dozens of people called in reports. The objects appeared to move very quickly from east to west, generally traveling in a descending flight path with no sudden maneuvers. Most sightings lasted just one to six seconds. Witnesses consistently described the glowing green nucleus, or central part, as being about the size of a pea to a dime when held at arm's length, with tails stretching fifteen to twenty-eight degrees across the sky.

The sightings were reported from multiple cities and areas, including Columbus, Lima, Cairo, Dayton, Cleveland, and Cincinnati in Ohio, as well as parts of Indiana. A U.S. Air Force T-33 pilot near Lockbourne Air Force Base also reported seeing the phenomenon while flying at 20,000 feet. Witnesses included both civilians who called radio stations and newspaper offices, and military personnel such as a major with the Air Force Recruiting Services and a staff sergeant stationed at Lockbourne.

The Air Force investigated by collecting weather data from the local weather station and checking for unusual air traffic or balloon activity. None was found. However, the preliminary analysis pointed to a natural explanation. The timing and consistent nature of the reports from widely separated areas, combined with the appearance of the objects themselves, suggested meteor activity. The investigation confirmed that the maximum display of the Quadrantids meteor shower was occurring on January 3, 1962. Astronomers estimated the shower could produce up to 35 meteors per hour, traveling at around 86,000 miles per hour. The objects observed were probably bright meteors from this annual shower, as well as other exceptionally bright "fireball" class meteors unrelated to the Quadrantids.

No photographs or physical evidence of the sightings were located. The full case file, consisting of 30 pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.

Reported location

Ohio-Indiana Area, January 1962

Date of incident

January 1962

State / country

? / XX

Page count

30 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 44

5 o£ | & 3 EF 1 LL Mo ry PTNJUV, HOARD, Ng ila » PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD 1 I. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS 4 o 0 Was Balloon 3 3 Jan 62 Ohio-Indiana Area B Probably Balloon 4 3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4 TYPE OF OBSERVATION 3: Possilty Balloon 182 -2000 0 Was Aircraft 4 geal ARPRERG xX Ground- Visual 0 Ground-Radar a] Probably Aircraft ! 3 cmt 03/23 2325- -04/0 1002 XX Air Visual O Air-Intercept Radar 0 Possibly Airerolt | 3 S. PHOTOS » SOURCE O Was Astronomical 3 DO Yes Ee it K Probably Astronomical Meteor 4 © Ne Military and Civilian O Possibly Astronomical 3 7. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION 8. NUMBER OF OBJECTS | 9. COURSE Be bE ia O Insufficient Data for Evaluation 3 1-6 sec several varied O Unknown : 10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING ; 11. COMMENTS 3 #itnesses from all over Chio Indians area re- | Objects have same dz2cceription as that 3 ported seeing bright green objects with long | given to classic meteors. During January ; tails or trails moving very swiftly across one of the richest meteor showers takes 1 the sky, generally E-W. Durations ranged from | place, the Quadrantids. Up to 30 meteors : 1 to 6 sec, All sightings took place at night | per hour can usually be observed. This E during a period of 1 hr and 35 min. Witnesses | shower occurs between the first and the : ’ were fairly consistent in their reports re- fourth and is richest on the third. Objecks : garding size, between a pea and dime at arm's | viewed were probably meteors of this 4 length. shower and other bright meteors (of the : firebell class) which were not of the p shower. i ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 52)