Weiser, IdahoJune 1947

On June 14, 1947, someone in Weiser, Idaho witnessed an unusual object in the sky. The observer reported that the object shot up and down before leveling off with a glistening trail. The sighting lasted only several seconds, and the witness watched it from the ground without any photos or physical evidence to document what they saw.

The Air Force file on this case includes an analysis by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a prominent astronomer consulted by Project Blue Book. Hynek considered whether the object might have been a meteor or fireball. He noted that the persistent trail left behind the object was consistent with a fireball, which can sometimes leave visible trails lasting over an hour. The object's trajectory, moving in a southeasterly direction, matched what would be expected from a meteor traveling outbound from the sun. Hynek also pointed out that daylight meteors often produce no bright flame or audible noise, which matched this report. He acknowledged some unusual features, such as the apparent presence of two objects rather than one, but suggested the object could have fragmented either during its approach to Earth or as it traveled around the sun, something that happens with comets and meteors.

However, Hynek concluded that any identification as a fireball "must remain uncertain." The lack of additional witnesses, photographs, or corroborating evidence made it difficult to confirm what was actually seen.

The Air Force officially evaluated this case as unidentified. The complete case file, comprising 8 pages as held by the National Archives, is reproduced below.