Xenia, OhioJanuary 1962

On the morning of January 4, 1962, two separate observers in Xenia, Ohio reported seeing a greenish-yellow object streak across the early dawn sky. Both sightings lasted only a few seconds and occurred around 0720 to 0724 (7:20 to 7:24 a.m.).

The first observer watched the object travel from west to east in a mostly flat path with a slight "V" shape to its trajectory. The object appeared to be about 2 to 5 miles away and at an altitude of roughly 2,000 feet. The witness described it as having a luminous green tail and heard no sound. The object disintegrated during flight, vanishing after 2 to 3 seconds of observation.

The second observer, driving to work, saw a greenish object moving in a straight line to the east. This witness watched it at a 60-degree angle above the horizon as it disintegrated at a 40-degree angle, lasting about 1 second. The object had a short tail.

Air Force investigators concluded the sightings were almost certainly a meteor, specifically a bolide (a bright, exploding meteor). The color, tail, flight path, and disintegration pattern all matched the characteristics of a meteor burning up in the atmosphere. The timing aligned with the Quadrantids meteor shower, which peaks around January 3 to 4 and is known as a strong morning shower. The file categorizes the case as "Astro (Meteor)," meaning the Air Force determined it had an astronomical explanation.

The complete case file of 9 pages is reproduced below as held by the National Archives.