Stephenville, NFLD, October 1955October 1955

On October 31, 1955, observers in Stephenville, Newfoundland reported watching a bright white light perform unusual maneuvers in the night sky. The object was described as about three times the size of a star and moved first at great speed before slowing down, beginning to orbit, climbing rapidly, and then disappearing.

The observers noted that the sky was clear at the time. The Air Force checked for radar contact and found none. No military jets were in the area. The investigation noted the reliability of the witnesses and characterized them as very credible observers.

The Air Force file indicates that a smaller weather balloon was released from the area on request. However, the track of that balloon did not match the path described by the witnesses, and the manner of disappearance was not consistent with the observers' account. The observers also reported a lack of visible wing tip clearance lights on the object.

Other units and radar facilities in the region reported no unusual aerial activity at the time of the sighting. An investigation was conducted, but the file's OCR quality becomes increasingly difficult to read in the technical sections.

The Air Force concluded the sighting was "probably" a balloon, though the case file contains evidence and witness testimony that created uncertainty about this explanation.

The full case file is reproduced below as held by the National Archives, spanning 27 pages.