PROJECT BLUE BOOK

Sean naesceanuendunsaans De eee Cn ne —+

_ ———— oe —

. ; PROJECT 10073 RECORD

i. DATE © Tine GROUP LOCATION

LE EEO we

12 May 49 12/14152 Holloman AFB, New Mexico

‘3. SOURCE 10. CONCLUSION .
Civilian | Astro (STARS/PLANZTS)

4. NUMBER OF OBJECTS — |

Two ' Disappeared behind clouds.
5. LENGTH OF OBSERVATION | 11. BRIEF SUMMARY AND ANALYSIS

we.

i ee ee ee

4, minutes Observer sighted an object that was white with a greenish
| tinge. It was shaped like a fuzzy star. The object appeared
oe in the East. It was stationary. The observer was Dr Menzel

Groznd-Visual of Harvari, He believed it to be some sort of astronomical
phenomena,

i7. COURSE

Stationary

lg. PHOTOS
O Yes
C. No
+9, PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
0 Yeos
[L No

FORMA
ETN ceo 42 4.2990 (THE)  veactane aditionn of thin form maw be uaad. a. —

be

UNCLASSIFI™

I wear glasses, bifocals, I turned and shifted my head to make
sure that the phenomenon was real. I lowered the window another turn or
twoe The patches remained. I was still wnaware that the phenomenon was
exceptional until the southern object suddenly disappeared. I then asked
the driver to stop the car, but the northern object vanished at that
moment. The northern one had been slightly brighter. At maximm
brilliance the patches must have been of zero to first stellar magnitude,
The color was white possibly with a greenish tinge. They endured for
about 4 minutes, during which time the car, travelling at 50 miles per
hour, covered at least 3 miles. During that period, I am sure that the
direction of the object did not change by more than 2°. I would prefer
to say that the change was not more than 1°. With a base line of 3 miles,
this latter figure indicates that the objects were at least 180 miles away,
that their separation in space was at least 9 miles and that the diameter

was about 3/4 of a mile.

There is a bare possibility that the patches were clouds, but
the behavious was unusual, to say the least. The whole phenomenon is
puzzling. It may have some simple explanation, but there seems to be
no completely satisfactory theory available. I report the event for

future records,

Harvard Observatory
Cambridge 38, Mass.

ica
ito

10.
ll.

12.
136

156
16.
17.
18.

19.

21.
22.
23.

UNCLASSIFIED |

INCIDENT NO. 299

Date of Observation 12 May 19449 Date of Interview
Exact Time (1ocal) 0915-0930
Place of Observation Holloman AF Base, Nulle

Position of observer Ground in auto
What attracted attention to object hile watching moon .

Number of objects 2

Apparent size 1/4 Dine of moon estimate 3/l, mile >
Color of object White with greenish tinge ‘
Shape Like Fuszy star Ge
Altitude 3-1;° above Horizon

Direction from observer [pst

$e.

Distance from observer 10 miles avay

Direction of flight of object(s)

Time in sight l, minutes

Speed
Sound and odor

Trail

Luminosity 0 lst Stellar Mamitude
Projections

Maneuvers
Manner of disappearance

Effect on Clouds

Additional information concerning object

Weather Conditions Full moon sky bright

foyer) Astro ( Stay s/Planet )
C lnwd

dvssapeares ym AY

UNCLASSIFIED

Se

t
“

—————————— Te

UNCLASSIFIED ( _

HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE DHU/jol
ALAMOGORDO, NEW MEXICO

16 May 1949

REPORT OF AN UNUSUAL (7) NATURAL (?) PHENOMENON

TO: WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

On the night of May 12, 1949, while enroute from Holloman
Air Force Base to Alamogordo, New liexico, in a two-door sedan, I noted
an atmospheric or celestial ( ?) phenomenon that I have been unable to
explain. I am still not entirely convinced that what I saw may not have
been an optical illusion of an unusual character.

Shortly after leaving Holloman Base, I looked out toward the
Sacramento Range, to the Hast. The time was about 9:30, possibly as early
as 9:15. I was watching the moon rise. At the moment, the moon had an
altitude of perhaps 15° = 18° above the top of the Sacramento ridge. ‘The
moon was nearly full and the sky was bright. I was interested, therefore,
to see a bright star, perhaps 6° — 8° East fromthe moon. I wondsred what
the star was. When the sky is so bright that the fainter stars do not show,
I find it hard to locate the constellations, The star had a faint reddish
color.

As I watched for a minute or two, I became conscious of another
star considerably nearer the horizon. The star had a fuzzy appearance,
Caused, I thought, by low-level atmospheric haze. As I watched I noted,
within half a minute, a second star about three degrees to the South of
the first. I think the Northernmost star appeared first, but am not
completely sure.

My first impression was that the stars were Castor and Pollux,
of Gemini. Both increased in brightness rather slowly, which was not sur
prising for a pair of stars rising. I watched for perhaps another minute
and suddenly became conscious of the fact that the stars couldn't have been
Castor and Pollux, because Gemini is in the tiest rather than the East,
Furthermore, the size of the fuzzy images bothered me. They were, as far
as I could tell, very nearly identical in diameter, which was about one=
fourth the diameter of the full moon. The following picture, dravm from
memory about 12 hours later, depicts the eistihnery circumstances:
6 ad

Nort «— eo + Joygy tne

The fuzzy stars were three or four degrees above the horizon as defined by
the mountain ranges OWNGRADEN Are ve

GRADED DA TNE sats
: CLASSIFIE DECLASSIFIID) OS 22 yh aie, 7
UN DOD Bis saiuig *”**

‘ ak
4 ’ -

WNCLASS' 359

Incident

Pago. 2

Occupation and hobbios;

Comments of Interrogator relative to intelligence and character of observer(s)

NARRATIVE SUMMARY:

UNCLASSIFIED

HOLLOUAH ATR FORCE BASS DHu/jol
ALANOGC2DG, N&t WEXICO
16 slay 1949
REPORT OF AN UNUSUAL (7) NATURAL (4) PHONOMSNON
TOe Wo IT LAY CONCSAN
On the nirht of May 1°, 1919, while enroute from Hollomn

Air Forse iiase to Alamogordo, i.cw i.exico, in a tyoedoor sodan, I noted
an atmospheric or celestial (7) phenomenon that I have been unable to
explain, I am still net entirely convinced that what 1 sav cay nct have
been an optical illusion ef an unusual character,

Shortly after leavins Yollomn Vase, I looxed out torard the
Sacramento ianzo, to the -aste 45:9 tine wan nbout 9830, possibly .9 early
as 9:15. 1 was watching the roo rise. At the moment, the moon had an
altitude of perhaps 150 — 16° above the top of the ‘acranonto ridce. The
moon was nearly full and the sky was brisht. I ms interested, ticrafcre,
to seve a bright star, perhape 6° — GO Anst fromthe moon. I wondered tint
the star was. ‘hen the sky is so bright that the fainter atars do not shew,
I find it hard to locate the conmiellations. The star had a faint reddish

color.

Ae I watched for a cimito or two, I became conscious of another
star considerably nenrer the horizon. The star had a fuzzy appearance,
Caused, I thoucht, by lewelevel atrospheric hase. As I ratched I neted,
within half a minute, a secend star about three dezress to the South of
the first. I think the lorthermest star appeared first, but am not

completely sure.

ky first impression was that the stars rere Castor and Pollux,
of Gendni. Soth incroassd in bri;tness rather slowly, which ws not sure
prising for a pair of stara riesinz. I watched for porhaps another ainuta
and suddenly becano consecicus of the fact that the stera couldn't have beon
Castor ani iollux, because Conini ia in tho . est rathor than the nste
Furthormere, the size of the furzy i:ages bothered ma, hey were, ns far
as I could tell, very nearly icentical in dismoter, which was about cnae
fourth the dinzeter of the full zswon, The following picture, cmrm tran
mesory about 12 hours later, dv; icts the approximate circunstances!

0 Mion

| oy
Noth <— ce 4~ fanz stern
i ae ar a AE

Horr om n@
The fuzzy stars wore throo or four decrees above the horizon ap definod by
the mountain rane.

UNCLASSIi ted

I wear glasses, bifocals, I turned and shifted my head to mnie
sure that tho phenomenon was renl. I lowered the window another turn or
two. The patches renainoad. I was still unaware that the phenomenon was
exceptional until the couthern objcct suddenly disappeared. I thon asked
the driver to stop the car, tut tho northem object vanished at that
moment. The northern one had becn slightly briyter. 4t maxiimu
brilliance the patches must have been of zero to first stollar marnitucde,.
The color was white possibly with a ereenish tinge. They endured for
about & minutes, durin; which time the car, travelling at 59 miles cor
hour, covered at least 3 miles. imuring that period, I an sure that the
direction of the object did not cianze by more than 29, I would prefor
to say that the change was not mere than 1°, ‘iith a base line of 3 miles,
this latter fMicure indicates that the objects were at least 1€£0 niles aay,
that thoir ceparation in space waa at least 9 miles and that the diameter

was about 3/4 cof a mile.

There is a bare possibility that the mtches were clouds, but
the behavious was unusual, to sy the leaste. The whole phenomenon is
puzzling. It my have soma si ple explanation, but there seens to be
no coxpletely satisfactory theory available. I report the event for
future records. /

Canbridge 38, lasa.

tro

UNCLASSIFIED

= --——