Olean, New YorkFebruary 1965

In February 1965, residents of Olean, New York reported seeing an unidentified orange object traveling slowly across the sky. The object was visible for about one hour and twenty-five minutes. According to witnesses, it moved at a steady rate, covering twenty degrees of arc in twenty minutes. The object made no sound and left no trail or exhaust. During the sighting, the object remained in the northeast part of the sky and traveled in a northeasterly direction.

The U.S. Air Force investigated the report through its ground observer network. Qualified observers at the Civil Aeronautics Administration post in Olean provided the primary account. The Air Force examined the sighting's duration, speed, and altitude characteristics. Officials noted that the reported speed seemed inconsistent with how long the object remained visible, suggesting possible measurement error.

In its final assessment, the Air Force concluded the sighting was most likely the star Arcturus, which would have been visible in the northeast sky at that time and location. The file states that the observation was "characteristic of an astronomical body observation." While the witness reports described a bright orange object, the Air Force's evaluation attributed the sighting to a known celestial body rather than an unidentified phenomenon.

The full case file, comprising 21 pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.