W of Noshironinato, Japan, February 1959February 1959

Insufficient Data

Summary

On February 14, 1959, military pilots west of Misawa, Japan, reported a bright object in the night sky. The sighting was at 1000Z and the light conditions were dark. The object was seen from two F-86D aircraft and one T-33, all at 40,000 feet.

The pilots could not determine a shape. They said the object was larger and brighter than a star. Its color was white with alternating colors. The white light seemed to dim and then reappear brighter every three or four seconds, each time accompanied by a different color in the order red, green, orange, and blue. There was no sound and no discernible features. The object appeared to stay in nearly the same position, though it seemed to lose some altitude at one time, matching an aircraft that descended. Two radar sites and the aircraft radars failed to detect it.

The Air Force concluded the case was astronomical. The record card said a check of star charts showed the planet Mars in the object's location, and that haze or smoke could account for the changing colors.

Reported location

W of Noshironinato, Japan, February 1959

Date of incident

February 1959

State / country

? / XX

Page count

3 scanned pages

USAF evaluation

unknown

Microfilm

T1206, Roll 35

Original case file scans

Original case file · scanned by NARAPage 1 of 3

View transcribed text

| k + :
PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD :
I. DATE 2. LOCATION 12. CONCLUSIONS |
: O Was Balloon
Loon so Lae Josutzentno, dono 18 BH BIN
3. DATE-TIME GROUP 4. TYPE OF OBSERVATION
0 Was Aircraft
LOBE] cn —— 0 Ground-Visvel 0 Ground-Redor 0 Probably Aircreft
GMT 000 x0 Viel O Airintorcopt Rodar |O Possibly Airercht
S. PHOTOS JOUR 132 Was Astronomical [2I'S
0 Yes DO Probably Astronomicel
! 0 Possibly Astronomicel
: A SERVATION 9. COURSE 0O Other — -
OTT — O Insufficient Date for Evaluation
0 Unknown
not given Ox Station :
. [0. BRIEF SUMMARY OF SIGHTING : 11. COMMENTS
Obj larger and brighter than a star. A check with astro charts
toler was white with alternating colors indicates the planet lars was in
i of red, green, orange, and blue, The location of the obj. Haze or smoke
white lights appeared to dim and then , could account for the changing
Fiippaarsd brighter every 3-h scconds. colors.
Tach time light appeared Lrlighter it wos
| accompanied by a different color. lio |
sound. |
| ATIC FORM 329 (REV 26 SEP 32)
3 . ‘
 ————

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Source: National Archives Catalog · NAID 28981962