Point arrow, AlaskaJuly 1949

In July 1949, weather station personnel at Point Barrow, Alaska spotted a bright light in the sky while they were tracking a weather balloon. The light moved slowly from east to west across the sky, traveling at a rate of about 3 to 4 degrees per minute (a degree being roughly the width of your finger held at arm's length). The observers watched the light for approximately six hours, using a theodolite (a telescope-like instrument used to measure positions and angles in the sky) to track its movement. The light remained at an estimated altitude of between 50,000 and 60,000 feet.

An astronomer stationed at Point Barrow with the Office of Naval Research stated his professional opinion that the light was definitely a planet, probably Venus. The Air Materiel Command (the Air Force's technical analysis division) plotted the object and concluded it was Jupiter. No photographs or physical evidence were collected during the observation. The Air Force classified the case as "unknown" despite the astronomer's identification, and a detailed report with complete theodolite readings was requested by the commanding officer at Ladd Air Force Base in Fairbanks on August 2, 1949.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives (6 pages).