PROJECT BLUE BOOK

Sas:

i

cr an # we. In I] nel aa, fe
¢ ;
ri mpc, the full m ' On Tas day,
' | 1 .
and caused considerub (ulestionil 1
' . ' ’ ' ' ‘
those who thought the ri tpphed to tl

First Eclipse of 1958

April also brings the first eclipse of 1958,
but it will not be visible in’ any part of
North American, except Alaska This hap
pens on April 18, when the new moon will
come directly hetveen earth and sun, low
ever, the moon will be far enough Wath
that it will apecar slightly smaller than
the sun and thus will not completely cover
if,

Even where the solay eclipse is at its
height, along a path that starts in the In
dian Ocea ‘ southwest of Ineli i, cross
Burma, Thailand, Viet Nam and Formosa
and ends in the Pactfic Ocean sout! “ast of
Japan, one would see a ring of the bright
solar surface around the dark disc of th
moon. Thus it is called an annular eclip -
since “annulus” is Latin for ning. Along th
firs: part of this path it will be April 19
as the eclipse occurs. But the path cro
the International Date Line where it is still
the [S8th, so the event may be said w end

the Gay before it begins!
Over a larger area, covering all of Asia

except the north estern part, the Indian
Oce
as well as Alaska, there will be a partial
eclipse, with the moon hiding a part of the

1, Indonesia and the western Po ific,

sun. By our time reckoning, the eclip

occurs during the night of the 18th,

Celestial Time Table for April

‘ ; ES]
> p00p.m. Moon nearest, distance 221.8
rites
i span Full moon
a 3 3) pti. Muon pPusses Jupiter,
p.m. Venous farthest west of
9:10 p.m, Nin ip es Saturn
t f:5e p.m. Moon in last quarter
13 7:53 a.m. Moon passes Mars
rf 2:00 pan. Mercury and sun in
rection
f p.m. Moon farthest, cist 2
mm lt
1 rx if Jupiter in | ethan ty
sun ane ‘ cart Hist
403 ‘ ri
iS m4: Span, Now mpc gnoular « Lips oO
2% 9 p-m. Neptune in opposite direction
from sun aml neurest « uth, ch
Price m1 f rile
»f $r4i i. M oni {ot t¢
Subtenet of Dent 1 CN I i hi
MST, tral thy | PS]
Science Ne Letter, > h 22, 19

ys
a
—
_
«
~

( (ntormati

cion Gnly) 29 April 1958
re Be Paul , Mit Sot:
f |
j y
April 29, 1953; St. Paul, Minnesota:
A UFO similar to the one reported in
the east on April 21 was sighted by control
tower operators at Wold — Chamberlain
Airport on i by other or OrvSrs. The CAA
men said the UFO did not resemble a )
meteor or any other known object but that i
t moved west to east at high speed on an
even oath without climbin or cescending.
It wes described as emittl g sparks from
its g! Ving nose t afore its ab pt jis-
Gppecrance. The UFO clio was seen by
NICAP member H. T. Sherman, Insurance
underwriter end astronon er, who reported

it to an Air Force Captain Nueman at
Wolc - Chamberlain, The caplain firs!

suggested Venus, which Sherman as an

astronomer quickly ruled ou, The captain

then suggested a meteor,

vr ?
‘Too slow," stated Mr. Sherman, "A i
i _
peralle] path end the UFO's appearance

rule thot out."

Finally Captain Nueman suggested a
'

. . . | ’
new anti-collision light on a piane, but

Sherman pointed out these items:
® YVvhen the light went out no plane '

e In the sky which at 9 p.m.
wes still fairly light. ”

® tHe would have heard any aircraft,

“ Po os . t: :
2 No pilot in his right mind would
’

approach a field with such heavy traffic

'
at such high speed and suddenly at low
altitude turn out all lights.

« a* == a . . ' ’
ne Air Force captaln had no other
:

ne sighting was officially

o*

suggestions and

recorded,

eee...

TO BE OBSERVED, THE OTHER'S ATTENTION WAS CAUGHT BY THE MCTICN OF

THE OBJECT THROUGH THE SKYe 2. OBJECT FIRST SIG HTED AT ESTINA TED
ELEVATION OF 32 DEGREES AND A TRU AZIMUTH OF APPROXIMATELY 332

et

DEGREES. 3e OBJECT DISAPPEARED IN CLOUD DECK AT AN ESTIMATED
ELEVATION OF APPROXIMATELY 1G TO 23 DEGREES ABOVE THE SOUTHEAST
HORIZON» 46 FLIGHT PATH CREIT-LIKE IN NATURE. OBJECT FIRST APPEARED
IN NORTKWEST SKY TRAVELING SMOOTHLY ON OREIT*LIKE PATH THROUGH ITS
ZENITH AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 42 TO 45 DECREESs
OBJECT CONTINUED SMOOTHLY IN THE PLANE OR ORBIT AND PASSED VERY
CLOSELY TC THE STAR SPICA AND THE PLANET JUPITERe THE OBJECT
DISAPPEARED TO THE SOUTHEAST. DURING THE ENTIRE PERIOD, FLIGHT PATH

WAS APPARENTLY SMOOTH AND UNDISTRUBED. 5, THE OBJECT WAS VISIELE

iSf ogsceve? \
met

Pl

PAGE THREE RJHFAM 29 (77 Z S at
FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE ro(Foun } MINUTES. THE OBSERVERS WERE NOT

ESPECIALLY CONSCIOUS OF THE TINE LAPSE WHILE OBSERVING BUT ESTIMATED
THAT TREY CESERVED THE OBJECT BY THE NAKED EYE FOR AT LEAST TWO
| MINUTES AND FOLLOWED THE CBJECT BY TELESCOPE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE

MINUTE. AT THE TIME CBJECT DISAPPEARED, OBSERVATION KAD BEEN
DISCONTINUED BY TELESCOPE AND WAS BEING FOLLOVED WITH THE NAKED

ows oe ee

EYE. C. MANNER OF OBSERVATION. TWO OBSERVERS WERE INVOLVED AND

ee Be ae |

OBSERVATIONS WERE BOTH BY NAKED EYE AND TELESCOPE. THE TELESCOPE
WAS A SIX-INCH REFLECTOR TYPE WITH A MAGNIFICATION CF APPROXIMATELY
7 DIAMETERS. ONE OBSERVER TRACKED THE OBJECT WITH THE FINDER SCOPE
AND THE OTHER CHECKED IT THROUGH THE MAIN LENSES SYSTEMe. De TIME

AND DATE OF SIGHT. tf. OBJECT FIRST SICHTED SHORTLY AFTER aa¢ NST
SS

30 APRIL 19564 OBJECT REACHED ZENITH APPROXIMATELY 2206 MST. 2.

| LICHT CONDITIONS. SIGHTING WAS MADE APPROXIMATELY ONE KOUR AFTER
SUNSET. ALL BU THE FAINTEST STARS WERE VISIBLE AT TINE OF SIGHT.
E. LOCATION OF OBSERVERS. OBSERVERS WERE LOCATED AT A POSITION
APPROXIMATELY ONE NAUTICAL MILE SOUTH SCUTKWEST OF LOWRY AFB,
DENVER COLCRADO. Fe IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION ON OBSERVERS. te

CAPTAIN W.He GIBSON, USAF, DEPARTMENT OF FLYING TRAINING, USAF

A IO

ACADEMY, DENVER, COLORADO. CAPTAIN CIBSCN IS A NAVIGATION INSTRUCTOR

a,

» ’

No Case (Information Only) 29 April 1958

St. Paul, Minnesota

SN

eee gen ee

April 29, 1958; St. Paul, Minnesota:

A UFO similar to the one reported in
the east on April 21 was sighted by control
tower operators at Wold - Chamberlain
Airport and by other observers. The CAA
men sald the UFO did not resemble a
meteor or any other known object but that
it moved west to east at high ‘peed on an
i even path without climbingor descending.
It wos described as emitting sparks from
its glowing nose before Its abrupt dis-
appearance, The UFO also wes seen by
NICAP member H. T. Sherman, insurance
underwriter and astronomer, who reported
it to an Air Force Captain Nueman at
)) Weld - Chamberlain, The captain first
. suggested Venus, which Sherman as an
ostronomer quickly ruled out. The captain
then suggested a meteor.

“Too slow," stated Mr. Sherman. "A
parallel path end the UFO's appeorance
rule that out."

Finally Captain Nueman suggested a
new anti-collision light on a plone, but
Sherman pointed out these items;

® When the light went out no plane
wes visible In the sky which at 9 p.m.
wes still fairly light.

@ He would have heard any aircraft.

@ No pilot in his right mind would |
eporoach a field with such heavy traffic /
at such high speed and suddenly at low;
altitude turn out oll lights. i

The Air Force captain had no other
suggestions and the sighting was officially \

recorded,

MAY 1958 SIGHTINGS

{ DATE LOCATION OBSERVER EVALUATION
|
2 - Sapin Military (Bryant) Satellite
3 * Flagstaff, Arizona Military Air Vis/RAD Ealloon
4 - Uruguay CIOVI - Insufficient Data
7 _Spring City, Tennessee Seater, Astro (SIRIUS)
7 ~Fresno, San Francisco, California Military Astro (VENUS & ARCTURUS)
i 9 - Bohol Island, Philippines Military Air/Vis UNIDENTIFIED
- | 9 - Marietta, Ohio eo Other (UNRELIABLE REPORT)
| 10 ~Colt's Neck, New Jersey efi ae Balloon
oe! -Saigon, Viet Nam Military Astro (METEOR) :
| 22 - Chillicothe, Missouri Military Air/Vis Balloon
12 . Canton, Ohio PORTO Balloon
12 ~ Cheyenne, Wyoming Multi (Stratton) Aircraft
=e Wee ~ Wauwatosa, Wisconsin SCPC Aircraft
| 13-14 - Willis, Virginia mag PHYSICAL S) Other (CHAFF)
14 ~Yuma, Arizona cnn, Wines, Insufficient Data
14 - Farmington, New Mexico Astro (METEOR)
| 15 Caracas, Venezuela Venezuela Mil Air/Vis Insufficient Data
f 15 “Ft Bregg, North Carolina Military Air/Vis, Beck Satellite
| 16 - Tuscaloosa, Alabama es . Astro (MSTEOR)
' 16 ~ Parma, Ohio 2, SED. Insufficient Data
| 16-17 ~- Drummond, Wisconsin aie ( PHOTO) Astro (STAR)
ee ly -Mindeanao, Philippines fay Astro (METEOR)
BE ~Red Springs, North Cerolina La. Aircraft (REFUELING OPR)
| UF ~23 Mi SE of Belle Glsce, Florida ‘co Insufficient Data
| 18 | ~Albuquerque, New Mexico ee Astro (METEOR)
| 2 - Canton, Ohio TRS Astro’ (METEOR)
' 20 ~Mount Prospect, Illinsis eS tle, Other (MIRAGE)
| @1  ; ~-Frenchman's Bayou, i><2nses Symi ( PHYSICAL S) “Other (ROCK)
22 -S of Nogales, Arizoxr> RR Astro ( METEOR)
23-24 ~- National City, Calizcrnia klibi, Insufficient Data
2h - “San Diego, Califorziz iat al Balloon |
25 ~ Uruguay CIOVI Insufficient Data
26 “Hubbard, Ohio a Aircraft
| 27 ~ Denver, Colorado TREE Astro (MSTEOR)
27-28 ~Nuncia, Michigan SRT iy, Insufficient Data
28 -Templehof, Germany Military RADAR Balloon
2 ~ Cockburn Harbor, Caribbean — 8 insufficient Data
29 -N of Puerto Rico Eastern Airlines Astro (METEOR)
E oO - Trenton, New Jersey prance ( PHOTO) Other ‘(PHOTO FLAW)
30 ~Wof North Africa (Atlantic) U.S. Coast Guard Insufficient Tata

ADDITIONAL REPORTED SIGHTINGS (NOT CASES

DATS SOU! SOURCE EVALUATION
nit Bes $ ut a W.Va. VYiga Stony

wah . Universe Sci a News Ltr

1958 Soviet Harth Satellite 3 Orbital Plane

1-7 - Rabat, Morocco Satellite Crossings

5 - Montiviceo, Uruguay Newsclippinyg

8 - Tarpon Springs, Florida Newselipping

16 ~ New Dngland Newsclipping

27 ~ Biggleswade, England Newselipping

~-

=

—

—

ss

ee ——————

RIWFDON/COMPR S4 ADIN CDEP)
RJEDSO/CCKER ATIC:
RIEPHQ/OF FICE OF INFORMATION SERVICES HQ USA
RIEPHOS AIR INTELLEGENCE HG USAF
BT
UNCLAS FROM COCFT S€94. UFO. THIS MESSAGE IS FORWARDED IN COMPLIANC
WIiTK AFR @e-2. Ae DESCRIPTION OF OBSECT. 26 SKAPEs FROM APPEARANCE
OF ITS ORBIT, OBJECT WOULD SEEM TO BE A SATELLITE“TYPE VEHICLE.

a

OBJECT WAS EXAMINED THROUGK A SIX PCVER TELESCOPES AND APPEARED

SO

Iii TNO_PARTS)OR AT LEAST TWO SECTIONS OF DIFFERING REFLECTIVITY.
LEADING SECTION WAS OF A BRIGHTNESS COMPARABLE TC THAT OF A THIRD
OR FOURT MAGNITUDE STAR. THE TRAILING PART WAS NUCH BRIGHTER

AND IN THE ORDER OF A SECOND MAGNITUDE STAR. THERE WAS NO APPAREST
TUMBLING MOTION. 2. SIZEe IMPOSSIBLE TO ESTIMATE SIZE BECAUSE OF
APPARENT GREAT DISTANCE TO THE OBJECT. JUDGING BY REFLECTIVITY,

OBJECT MUST BE OF A SIZE COMPARABLE TO CR LARGER TKAN SPUTNIK Ile

PACE TWO RUVFAM 29 aes

se CE a ~\
COLOR, THE OPJECT WAS REDDISH WAR TINTe 4a MUMBER. ONLY ORES

—_ ee

OBJECT SIGHTED, KOWEVER, SEENED TO BE IK Tio Pants. Se FORMATION.
NOT APPLICABLE. 6. DISCERNIELE FEATURES OR DETAIL &S EXPLAINED
AELOVE.s 7+ TALL, TRAIL OR EXHAUST. NONE OBSERVED. Se SOUND.

NONE OBSERVED, 9. OTHER PERTINENT OR UNUSUAL FEATURES. NONEs

Be fe THE TWO OBSERVERS AT THE TIME OF THE SICHTI NM VERE USING

A $iX- INCH REFLECTOR TYPE AMATEUR TELESCOPE FCR CELESTIAL
OBSERVATIONS. WHILE ONE OBSERVER WAS ALIGNING THE SCOPE ON A STR
TO PE OBSERVED, THE OTHER'S ATTENTION WAS CAUGKT BY THE MOTICN OF
THE OZJECT THROUGH THE SKY. 24 OBJECT FIRST S1G HTED AT ESTINA TED
ELEVATION OF 3 36 DEGREES AND A TRU AZINUTH OF APPROXIMATELY 333
DEGREES. 3. OBJECT DISAPPEARED IN CLOUD DECK AT AN ESTIMATED
ELEVATION OF APPROXIMATELY 16 TC 2) DEGREES ABOVE THE SOUTHEAST
HORIZON. 4. FLICHT PATH ORBIT-LIKE IN NATURE. OBJECT FIRST APPEARED
IN NORTHWEST SKY TRAVELING SMOOTELY ON OREIT-LIFKE PATH TKROUGH ITS

FITNITTU 2T AN PeTrMaTrn AITTTUuAY AY 2ONNHMNTYMATE ACY L462 FN LE BLK

a EIN ag me

Ee

ye tee ame

—— eee

SQG767 YDB712 WYC673 WMED34

~~

AME td | \ WAY oy }

PP RJWFDN RJEDDN RJEDSQ RJEPHKC yn /
DE RJVFAN 29~ 2
P 9423452 s A
FM SUPTUSAFA DENVER COLO
TO RJEDDN/COMDR ADC
RJUFDN/COMDR 34 ADIV (DEF)

JEDSG/COMDR ATIC———
RJEPHKQ/CFFICE OF INFORMATION SERVICES HQ USAF

RJEPHO/ AIR INTELLECENCE HO USAF !
bT

UNCLAS FROM COCFT 894. UFO. THIS MESSAGE IS FORWARDED IN COMPLIANCE

WITH-AFR-BG-2e -Ae DESCRIPTION OF OBJECT. ig SKAPEs FROM APPEARANCE

OF ITS ORBIT, OBJECT WOULD SEEN TO BE A SATELLITE~TYPE VEHICL¥e

fy

OBJECT WAS EXAMINED THROUGH A (SIX PCVER TELESCOPE) AND APPEARED

— ——

“JN TNO PARTS) OR AT LEAST TWO SECTIONS OF DIFFERING REFLECTIVITY,

LEADING SECTION WAS OF A BRIGHTNESS COMPARABLE TO THAT OF A THIRD
OR FOURT MAGNITUDE STARe THE TRAILING PART WAS MUCH BRIGHTER

AND IN TKE ORDER OF A SECOND MAGNITUDE STAR. THERE WAS NO APPARENT
TUMBLING MOTION. 2e SIZE. IMPCSSIELE TO ESTIMATE SIZE BECAUSE GF
APPARENT GREAT DISTA&NCE TO THE OBJECT. JUDGING BY REFLECTIVITY;
OBJECT MUST BE OF A SIZE COMPARABLE TO OR LARGER TKAN SPUTNIK Ile

7

a |

PAGE FOUR RJWFAM 29

AT THE ACADEMY WITH APPROXIMATELY 1599 HOURS FLYING EXPERIENCE.

HE IS AN AMATEUR ASTRONOMER, 2. FLIGHT LIEUTENANT De J, CONNOLLY,
RCAF, DEPARTMENT OF FLYING TRAINING, USAF ACADEMY, DENVER, COLORADO.
F/LT CONNOLLY IS A NAVIGATION INSTRUCTOR AT THE USAF ACADEMY. HE

HAS APPROXIMATELY 3,398 HOURS OF FLYING EXPERIENCE. HE IS A CANADIAN
EXCHANGE OFFICER. 3. THE RELIABILITY OF THE OBSERVERS, FLIGHT
EXPERIENCE AND EXPERIENCE AS AMATUER ASTRONOMERS AND OBSERVERS

WOULD INDICATED RELATIVELY HIGH DEGREE OF RELIABILITY.

BOTH OBSERVERS HAVE SEEN SATELLITES PRIOR TO THIS SIGHTING. Go
WEATHER CONDITIONS. WEATHER AT THE TIME OF SIGHTING AS ESTIMATED

BY THE OBSERVERS WAS UNLIMITED CEILING, 2/29 SCATTERED CLOUDS

TOWARD THE HORIZON, VISIBILITY UNLIMITED, TEMPERATURE APPROXIMATELY
35 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT, WINDS LIGHT AND VARIABLE. THE OFFICIAL
WEATHER REPORT BY LOWRY AFB AT 1495S MST, WAS C

— —* —

*)

TILING UNLIMITED,

HIGH SCATTERED COULDS, VISIBILITY 2) MILES, WIND 163 DEGREES

7 KNOTS. THE 1732 MST WINDS WERES SURFACE- 4162/7 KNOTS$ 6,099'3S0/5
KNOTS3 19,209'-79/33 KNOTS 16,039°-279/29 KNOTS$ 2,009 °-273/30
KNOTS 5 32 5090 -270/42 KNOTS$ 50 ,990'=-270/4@ KNOTS$ S2,299- NOT
AVAILABLE. He NOT APPLICABLE. I. ACTION TAKEN AFTER SIGHTING.

APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES AFTER SIGHTING, THE TWO OBSERVERS

PAGE FIVE RJYFAM 29

CONTACTED VRo TAO! THE DENVER NOON WATCH TEAM,
MR S@MMpl TURN CONTACTED THE SNITHSONIAN INSTITUTE IN ORDER
TO DETERMINE IF ANY SIGHTINGS HAD BEEN MADE OF THIS SAME VEMICLE,
SUBSEQUESNT TO THIS AND UP TO A TIME SOME 143 HOURS AFTER THE
SIGHTING, NO CONFIRMATION OF SUCH A VEHICLE WAS RECEIVED FROM

SMITHSONIAN. IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT SMITHSONIAN ESTABLISHED A MOON

|
f

LIWINARY ANALYSISJSUGGEST POSSIBLE UNANNOUNCED SATELLITE LAUNCHING. |

PAGE FIVE RJWFAM 29

CONTACTED i a HEAD OF THE DENVER MOON WATCH TEAM. :
‘R @QQMMEMP 1 TURN CONTACTED THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE IN ORDER Sy
TO DETERMINE IF ANY SIGHTINGS HAD BEEN MADE OF THIS SAME VEHICLE,
SUBSEQUESNT TO THIS AND UP TO A TIME SOME 48 HOURS AFTER THE
SIGHTING, NO CONFIRMATION OF SUCH A VEHICLE WAS RECEIVED FROM
SMITHSONIAN, IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT SMITHSONIAN ESTABLISHED A MOON
WATCH ALERT SHORTLY AFTER THE REPORT WAS RECEIVED. J. AIR ACTIVITY
AT THE TIME OF SIGHTING. THE ONLY ACTIVITY OBSERVED AT OR ABOUT ala
THE TIME OF THE SIGHTING WAS A B-52 OR B-47 AIRCRAFT AT EXTREMELY
HIGH ALTITUDES. IT EXECUTED A PRACTICE BOMB RUN ON DENVER BOMB
PLOT. THIS OCCURED 25 OR 39 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACTUAL UFO SIGHTING.
AT THE TIME OF THE SIGHTING NO FLYING AIRCRAFT WERE OBSERVERED
IN THE DENVER AREA BY THE TWO OBSERVERS. Ke THE OFFICERS SUBMITTING
REPORT HAVE DISCUSSED OBSERVATIONS WITH SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL AND
DIRECTOR .OF FLYING TRAINING, HEADQUARTERS, USAF ACADEMY. PRE" . ;

nent ™~ ‘

Le EXISTENCE OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE. UNAYAILABILITY OF CAMERA

EQUIPMENT AND SHORT TIME INVOLVED IN TRACKING OBJECT PRECLUDED
OBTAINING PHYSICAL EVIDENCE. SIGNED eat ETHRIDGE MAJOR, USAF

2

CHIEF, WAV TNG DIV. fo

BT Be bey |/ |
pe» ag

32/9 1492 MAY RUWFAM 2 2

ABN | ee LAD eg 7 : f-
: aor iyo atte 7 7 / ff YL \ Pape <6 ’
; "| i ra te iu = | f pr,2 —<
( ~?* i; ed {~ } fe { , i S FF
; fe pis Ur : ~ Fe 8 A — . ZL ce ent
: . ‘- ph hi aes A rd,
te AP ae a ee ee ee
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: s _ i ue ~ me Ss sh «<5 cf } VA Rin POR
y a i* « - ) ‘ } -- p 4 Dp rie 5 ie 2 ro ow r SY r°UL~ etc
ree See gh eae BS pn tA
f° ' h ; “Tf Sd Croco wo -o-oer™ «=? fy Node CA i 7+ ey / ,

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4 -}t-3. 5 dal md Meas : Jina A" yuk ff Lwey a) Pe rs a 7)
ot CAO pre nef Tri. & fA ee = .

= . —— =e

aa . . SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
ASTROPHYSICAL OBSERVATORY

ECTION OF UPPER ATMOSPHERE STUDIES
iGy OPTICAL SATELLITE TRACKING PROGRAM
60 GARDEN STREET
CAMGRIDOGE 39, MASSACHUSETTS

May 23, 1958

Captain Gsorge T. Gregory

Hqtrs, Air Technical Intelligence Center
Box 9307

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

Dear Captain:

I now have had a chance to look through all the reports you

sent, and the one concerning the "satellite-type sighting" from

enver interests me very much and I am giving it the full treat-
ment. It is clear that this could not have been any of the Amer-
iean satellites, not only because of the excessive brightness, but
because no American satellite at present could be seen approaching
from the northwest at the latitude of Denver. On April 30th there
were no known Russian Sputnik's vp, but even had there been it is
almost inconceivable tnat objects that bright would escane detec-
tion by our Moonwatch teams. Tnis is a corker; so much so, that
I wish I had the time and the opportunity to talk with these two
officers. It could be that in casual conversation some clue might
be obtained which 1s not apparent in their report.

I had an experience the other night which may bear on this.
I had been instructing my young daughter in fisuring sidereal time,
and we had gone out on the lawn to check our calculations when
there cam along a sputnik-like object---correct brightness, correct
speed, correct color, and I almost stood aghast. ‘There was no
sound. A few minutes later another such object came through in
another direction, and then a few minutes still another. On the
third one I was able to detect over ambient noises the sound of jet
motors. Lignts were not blinking. If the other object had not
gone throush I might honestly be puzzled to this day as to whether
I had seen an unknown satellite. I didn't know that jets ever
carried such lights.

c

It is almost inconceivable two such experienced officers muld
have made the mistake TIT had first made, but strange things do hapn-
pen... mm the meantime, I am having this observation checked against
all other "unknown sputnik!s" that our teams from time to time re-

2
before sunrise

ported.

As to the other cases, which I ain returning (J will return the
Denver case very soon), we certainly seem to have a fine bunch or
meteor observations--five of them. Two others re: a one, the

object that was seen the same time on two nights Mist

SS A a Se

(period of morning twilight had already begun). Vera was, as you
\

Say, near the point of sighting but it seems to me that it was

somewhat higher than 60°, ‘There was of course a very fine spec-

tacular object in the sky at that time but, unfortunately, in the
$

southeastern sky, The planet Venus was at its brightest in the
pre-sunrise sky, and I know from past experience how easily it
can be mistaken for an unknown object. My only reaction is to
question tne stated position and to consider the possibility that
it was Venus,

The case of the "daylight meteor" is greatly ambimuus.
While a daylight fireball cannot be ruled out, I would myself

favor the accidental release of some object from an aircraft, How-
ever, much hinges on the statement ‘orange flame". If it really

was flaming then it looks as though we must accredit this to a day-
jight meteor, if the light was simply a bright reflection of sun-

light, then we have the other possibility. In either case, there
is nothing hostile, and I say to this “insufficient information to
be able to distinguish between daylight mateor or object falling
from aireraft"., I don't think it is worthwhile to pursue this one,
al¢hougn I think if I could talk to the chap a better analysis
might be made. It just occurs to me that perhaps the object might
have been a burst weather or cosmic ray balloon, with the reflec-
tion from the trailine material accounting for the "tail four times
the diameter of object”. In fact, I think this its a distinct
possibility since it occurred in the neighborhood of the municipal
airport from which, I suppose, balloons are launched. ‘The Sime of
observation was 4:00 p.m., their time which, I believe, is about
the time of such launchings. So, three possibilities: daylight
meteor---part of aircraft---bursted balloon. All harmless but, I
now tend to prefer the latter,

I am looking forward to visiting you in your new quarters---
I hope in early June,

Cheers,
’ i

J. Allen Hynek

Tr
NCS - S .

‘ta -_

1 ea pe ree em

|
.

LS

ASTRONOMY

Jupirer IN

April is the month that

~ >S
eclipse of the year
By JAMES STOKLEY

> IN A DIRECTION from tl earth ch

rectly opposite to thar of the sun on April
17, the giant planer Jupiter will make its
closest approuch of the year, ata distance of

H3.000,000 miles. te will then be most
prominent, Visible all night with a bright
ness of rnius two on th * astri nonical ig
nitude scale.

Jupiter is shown on the accompanying
maps, which depict the sky at is appears
about 10:00 p.m., vour own kind of stand
ard time, at the first of April, an hour
earlier at the middle ond two hours earhics

t
at the end. It As toward the southeast, in

Virgo, the virgin, just co the left of Spica,
the brightest star in that constellation. Al-
though Spica is among the 20 brightest stars

in the sky (those of the first magnitude or
brighter), Jupiter now surpasses it in bril
liance by about IS times

High in the south, above and right of
Virgo, you come to Leo, the lion, with an
other firstmagnitude star. This is Regulus,
which is in a group of six stars often called
the “sickle,” from its resemblance to that
oplerment.

Yo the right of Leo is the rather faint
constellation of Cancer, but next to that is
the figure of Gemini, the twins. Here we
find Pollux, also of magnitude one. Below
Gemini is Canis Minor, the lesser dog, with
Procyon, and below that stands the great
dog Canis Major, with Sirius, the dog star.
This is now so low that it is faint and rela

ot rae : , re P
very inconspicttous, quite citierecnt from

the wav it looked on midwinter evenings
when it was in the thern sky.

* . .*
Qrion is Faint

The same is truce o » to the west
Betelgeuse, the brigh in this figure
of the warrior, is si re the three
sturs that mark his | ; ever, Rig ‘l,
below the belt, has p. ‘low the bhort-
yon Ir mas be seen ca - in the Voning
yA ‘ . ‘ ‘ | SS htbet

To the right of Orion is Taurus, the
bull, in which we see Aldebaran. On a
count of its low altitude, and the conse-
quent twerea cd ab orpuon of its ligghet by
the earth's atmo phere, if is represented by
the symbol for a seconcd-magnitude Stir,
leas gh i oOS really of the first Above
ae rus is Aurita, the charioteer, in: which
ap olla Ha

Hi: th in the eastern sky, above and to the
| {1 af iG it om is thy fiyruire ot Bow s, the
bear -driver Liere we find Arcturus. Close

to the northeastern horizon Vega, sg h is
ih ] ve ily - ive, 1 sown Sctaally, alt
’

rl ' that n be seen tre |

Scieebh News Lerrin for Afiaek 22, 1/958

w Mast Prominent

Will see the planet Jupiter Sct foe Suan, The sexe kul! moons

t to the earth, in addition to bringing the. first solar 6, is Faster. And frou the date of Bas
Tr a rmined the d of t hic
religious “movable feasts

ness, but us itis secu here you might ner The Easter Moon
think so. Later in the night, as it clit!
higher in the sky, ir will be seen at full The Easter rule was set in 325 AD. by
brilliance, as it will in the evenings lates the Couneil of Nicaea. Before thar there
in the year. were two principal factions im the early
Saturn, now in the constellation ol Ophiu chure with their own ideas as to when
chus, the serpentbeurer, appears about mid the festival should be celebrated
ight above the southeastern horizon. Tours The Crucifixion neal EL tion had
later, or about nvo and a half hours before taken place at the time of the Hebrew
sunrise, Mars appears, In Ca ipricornus, the Passover, which begins on the 4th day of
sca-goat. Mars, red in color, is a littl the month of Nisan in the Jewist) calendar
fainter than Saturn, although both are of Since each month in this calendar | gins
the first maunitude. About half an hour with the new moon, it is always full
later Venus appears, brighter even than at the 14th. Hence when Christ arose fron
jupit ~ Mercury, which UY g) red in th the dead it was a time of full enoon ind,
cvcning sky at the end of March, Pyty ly fsa, it hap} ‘ned on a Sunday.
glimpsed in the first day or so of April, but On group wanted to eclebrate Easter
you will have to look to the western shy, always at the time of thie full my, but
near the horizon, after sunset and even the others thought that the dav of the weel
before dusk has faded, if you want to see it, was ii iportant. They wanted it on Sunday,
On April 3, at 10:45 p.m. EST, the moon and the Nicene Counei! decided in thet
will be full. This full moon wll have a favor.
special significance, for it is the paschal They fixed the rule that Easter should
moon, the one that determines the date of come on the Sunday following the I4th
Oe day of the moon when this came on o
Ir is commonly stated that Easter is ul after March 21, which was the dav of the
first Sunday following the first full moon cq nox in 325. Actually, as this vear, th
after the vernal equinox, or the beginning equinox may occur on the 20th; sometime
of our spring in the Northern Hemisphere. it may come on the 22nd, while the full

The vernal equinox occurred On March 20) moon may not necessarily come on the Mth
at 19:06 p.in., EST, when the sun passed day of the lunar month. Thus, the rule

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