PROJECT BLUE BOOK

CONFIDENTIAL REPORT "MOON-OBJECTS" PHOTOGRAPH PAGE TV/O

The possibility of static in the camera or on the film was con-
sidered but set aside because of the peculiar layout of the white
spots, and because no other instance of static of any type showed up
in this film or other similar series of shots taken with the same
equipment under identical conditions. The film was not old nor, as
well es can be determined, defective. It should be noted that the
line of streaks is not interconnected and does not follow parallel
to the length of the roll, but curves markedly to the film's edge.

lir. Munsick studied the film and a series of prints, all enlarg-
ed greatly, in an effort to identify the objects. They are clearly
not refractory "ghosts" of the moon itself, as they bear no similar-~
ity vhatever to the moon or any round object. Mr. Munsick's interest
comes in part from his background as an investigator, editor, and
lecturer on the subject of Unidentified Flying Objects. Neither he
nor a colleague, Hans Stefan Santesson, editor of Fantastic Universe
Magazine, a science-fiction publication, could offer any explanation,
Mr. Seantesson is interested in Unidentified Flying Objects and is
familiar with the background in the field. Neither of the two had
ever seen nor heard of anything similar to this photograph before,

Mr. Mansick contacted the photogranhic adviser to UFO Newsletter
and Fulcrum Productions, Steve Elfenbein of Morristown; a profession-
al photographer with extensive photoreportorial experience plus ind-
ustrial photographic knowledge. He was unable to offer any explana-
tion for the objects, but also ruled out the possibility of static
in such conformation.

Mr. Elfenvdein is a test photographer with the Reaction Motors
Division of Thiokol Industries in Rockaway, N. J., recording tests of
socket engines on static runs (currently testing their rocket motor
fox the X-15 experimental "space-plene"). He suggested that the
“Lamondelike shapes were reminiscent of the repeating pattern in
rocket exhausts, but said the line was too irregular, too long, and
éid not generally conform to rocket exhausts. It was determined that
Reaction Motors was doing no testing near the time of the photograph.

lire Munsick contacted the adjutant of Picatinny Arsenal, the
huge U. S,. Army Ordnance Corps installation outside of Dover, N. J.,
northwest of Denville. The members of the Arsenal Photo Lab studied
the photograph and could reach no conclusion about possible causes,
either photographical, nor in line with projects at or near the
Arsenal's sprawling test area.

The Arsenal was asked if there was any Army experimental device
or project which might offer a solution; was it possidle some sort of
rocket had been sent high above the earth from Cape Canaveral with a
stroboscopic tracking light?

Colonel Albert J. Weinnig, Commander of the Arsenal, replied:

"T have discussed this photograph with several knowledgeable
people who are acquainted with tracking flashes and missile firing.

"There does not appear to be a rational explanation for the
flashes on the photograph. The line of sight from Denville in the
direction of the moon would lead to a point somewhat west of Cape
Canaveral. However, there were no known missile firings at the tims
the photograph was taken. Further, if a missile were fired it would
have to be at an altitude of approximately S500 miles above Florida
to be along the line of sight from Denville to thse moon.

"One explanation is that there was an accidental double exposure
with one of the exposures catching a line of lights either from cars
on the road or electric bulbs along a road.

"T am sorry but frankly we are at a loss to provide ea unique
explanation."

The nature of the images and their layout on the photograph ex-
cludes the line of lights on moving sutomobiles on a nearby road

a

CONFIDENTIAL REPORT "MOON-OBJECTS" PHOTOGRAPH PAGE THREE

(U.S- Route 46, major east-west artery from New York City to the Del-~
aware Water Gan, runs nearby) even if a double exposure were a satis-
factory answer.

Mr. Munsick undertook a study of high intensity street lighting
devices which line Denville's main street, Broadway. The 25 foot tall
supports hold very bright lights indeed, but full caps atop the lamps
~orestall a direct beam of light going up from the fixture. The
conformation of the lamps along the street does not fit in with the
photographic layout; the number of images likewise does not coincide
with the number of streetlights. The lights are not visible from the
point where the telescope rested; they are somewhat to the east of
the line of sight to the moon.

cosmes S. Pickering, Assistant Astronomer at the Hayden Planetar-
ium - “useum of Natural History in New York City was asked for his
comment. Mr. Pickering was at a loss to givo any explanation for the
phenomenon seen in the photograph, but suggested that a static explos
ion in Mr, Wilson's camera was the cause. He added his firm belief
that there was nothing "up there" to cause the image in the photograth

The photographs were submitted to the photography department of
LOOK Magazine in New York; again no explanation whatever was forth-
coming, only the comment that the photo was certainly unique.

4 visit to LIF® Magazine's offices, however, prompted somewhat
more ective interest. William J. Sumits, Chief of the Photographic
Leboratory, requested permission to undertake additional study of
the photographs and the film, which was granted with lir. Wilson, lr.
Munsick, Mr. Sumits' assistent George Karas, and others present,
Extremely high magnification of one portion of the negative (which
~ssulted in an area enlargement from the original view of well over
*,3290 times) indicated the V shsped bursts of light were partially
jc aotrated by mysterious black vars running on each side of the images
~arallel to the line of objects. In some of the objects, these two
tlack vars formed what look like black pincers closing in on the
wider part of the V of light, as though on pivots et the narrower
vortion.

Mr. Sumits strongly ruled out the possibility of any type of
static, after comparison with LIFE's files on all kinds of photograpr
ic static. He offered his conviction that the photograph was of an
actual object somewhere above the earth, speeding at tremendous vel-
ocity, and apparently reflecting or emitting an intermittent light.
He suggested further investigation and suggested contacting the var-
jous ezencies conducting space and missile research.

Miss Ruth Lester, of LIFE's Picture Bureau, requested an enlarga
| print of the original photograph, along with the initial report on
the case submitted 29 April 1959 by Mr. Munsick, She also asked to

be kept informed of the result, if any, of more intensive future in-
vestications.

Jonathan Leonard, Science Nditor of TIME Nagazine, expressed a
complete skepticism about the validity of the photograph, insisting
that the cause must lay somewhere in the camera or telescope; but he
repeated he hadn't the faintest idea of the real explanation. He
made 1t quite clear he was totally disinterested in any such photos.

ir. Ifunsick discussed the photograph with Prof. Ralph Van Arnen,
astronomer and member of the Mathematics Faculty of Lehigh University
in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Professor Ven Arnam expressed surprises
at the photograph and, like the others contacted, ssid he had never
seen anything like it before. He said he doubted very much thet ths
picture was of any normal celestial object, but felt the photograph
wes a true recording of something other than a photographic or optic-
al phenomenon within the equipment. He, too, asked further informa-
tilon about any future results.

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SN Ee NEA I ee eet ae
CONFIDENTIAL REPORT "NMOON*+OBJECTS” PHOTOGRAPH PAGE FOUK

' Two theories have been advanced about the flight of the would-be
objects. One holds that the images represented two lines of objects,
the leftehand group arcing in toward earth and spiraling slightly,
thus explaining the slight up-and-down deviation in the arc; end the
right-hand group angling in nearly a straight line cownward and away
from the camera.

The second is similar, holding that if the photograph is actual-
ly a true recording of 34 objects, the left-hand group appeared to be
coming toward the camera in an arc while the right-hand group was
doing the seme but with a more obtuse path and further away.

Considering the possibility of a temperature inversion (although
the extreme clarity of the objects, their regularity and brightness,
would seem to preclude this answer), the U. S. Weather Bureau was
askec for information about the conditions aloft during the period in
which the photograph was taken (the photograph was not mentioned).

Mr. Le Le Means, Chief of the Public end Agricultural Forecasts
Section of the Weather Bureau, U. S. Department of Commerce, replied
from Washington:

",..we are enclosing a graph of the atmosphere from a sounding
taken at Idlewild, New York, approximately 7:00 p.m. E.S,.T. March 18,
Although there were no temperature inversions present, there were two
layers of isothermal charecster in the lower levels. There did exist
an inversion at the tropopause level near 58,000 feet and it is rea-
sonable to assume that similar conditions existed over Denville, New
JEOrseyece

hone weather observations taken at Newark Airport between 8:31
p.m. and 9:54 p.m. inclusive show generally overcast at approximately
42,000 feet with less than 5/10 cloud cover at 6,000 feet. ‘The sur-
Yace visibility was 15 miles with winds from the east about 10 knots.

"Our radiosonde balloons released around 7:00 p.m. would not be
lighted as they are followed by radar procedures. With winds gener-
ally from the west the Idlewild equipment would have blown out to sea
end it is unlikely that it would have been visible by you. The
radiosondes released at Buffalo and Pittsburgh could hardly have
reached your erea until near midnight, if indeed they stayed aloft
that long."

Enclosed is additional data and computations which give estimates
of the area and possible speed of the objects when experimentel est-
images of the distance from the telescope are given. In the table
and calculations, the "A-B Length” is the straight-line distance
perpendicular to the line of sight, between the extreme outside
objects in the arc, and does not attenpt to take into consideration
the are length itself, nor any three-dimensional quelities.

ABOUT THE MOON

The first quarter for March occurred the night before the expos-
ure was made, or 17 March 1959,

Figures for Apogee and Perigee for the month of March (indicatir
the distances at the farthest and closest) according to Sky and Tele-
scope Magazine, are as follows;

Date GMT EST Distance in Miles Diameter
Apogee 14 9a 4a 251,800 29! 29"
Perigee 26 9a 4a 224,100 55' 08”

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CONFIDENTIAL REPORT "MOON-OBJECTS"” PHOTOGRAPH ;
COMPUTATIONS OF LINEAL AREA AND SPEED OF OBJECTS (DISTANCES SUPPLIED)

If the distance is
estimated to be:

Then the A-B length is:

PAGE FIVE

The speed at 1/25
sec exposure is:

4.8 feet 2045 feet o77 MPH
9.5 feet O91 feet 1.55 MPH

19 feet e181 feet 5.09 MPH

58 feet -065 feet 6.19 MPH

76 feet e725 feet 12.4 MPH
152.5 feet 1.5 feet 25 MPH
505 feet 2.9 feet 50 MPH
610 feet 5.8 feet 99 MPH
1290 feet 11,6 feet 198 MPH

= mile 23.2 feet 396 MPH

1 mile 46 feet #% 792 MPH

5 miles 231.8 reeset 5,960 MPH

10 miles 463.6 feet 7,920 MPH

25 miles 1159 feet 19,800 MPH

SO miles 2318 feet 569,600 MPH

100 miles 4636 feet 79,200 MPH
500 miles 4,4 miles 596,000 MPH
1000 miles 8.8 miles 792,000 MPH
5000 miles 44 miles 3,960,000 MPH
10,000 miles 88 miles 7,920,000 MPH
50,000 miles 440 miles 59,600,000 MPH
100,000 miles 3 880 miles 79,200,000 MPH
279,350 miles # 2000 miles 180,000,000 MPH

“Assuming one object rather than more up to 34.
#sProm one mile distant and up speeds are supersonic.

#This is the distance of the moon.
io be moving at or near the speed of light the odjects would heave to

22 about 7 billion million miles away, and span a distance of over 60
million million miles in 1/25th sec.

PERTINENT DATA ON COMPUTATIONS

The diameter of the moon is 2,160 miles. The approximate distance of
the moon at the time of the exposure was 229,550 miles (courtesy of
Hayden Planetarium), The apparent diameter of the moon is calculated
to be ,54 degrees, or 34 . The size of the A-B line (see p,. 4) is
calculated to be .50 degrees by comparison with the moon image, or
2,000 miles.

If the object or objects are revolving to produce the sporadic images
(assumins one continuous path) they are revolving at an average rate
of 51,000 RPM. There being two facets reflecting the rate is halved,
three, the rate is 17,000 RPM, if four 12,750 RPM, etc.

UFO Dapt cE TS
The 1006th Air Intelligence Sa. aldwell, N. J.
Air Technical Intelligence Center April 12, 1959

Dayton, Ohio

Subject: UFO Sighting 3/18/59

Gentlemen:

The writer and other uniersigned persons witnessed UFO activity
over Caldwell, N. J. as described below 3/18/59. Sce attached sketch
of path of objects in the sky.

1. Objects were sighted at 8:40 PM EST on 3/18/59. Period was
50 sec. During this time objects covered approx. 90 degrees are
in sky overhead. Sky was cloudless with about 2/3 moon,

2. At position A, the two objects appeared round and had a dull .
reddish glow. The objects maintained the same relative position
shown as they traversed a straight northerly path overhead. At
point A they stood out clearly against a star studded moonlit sky.
There was no sound that could be associated with these objects.

3. At position B these objects still appeared round but did not
glow as much.

h. Between position B & C the shape of the objects could no
longer be seen against the darker sky but what appeared to be
reflected light (similar to that seen from Russian rocket casing)
grew more and more intense. Finally, as objects went behind some
trees they both were giving off a brilliant white light similar
in intensity to the landing light of an aircraft during landing

approach.

The writer is presenting this information as a matter of record
for you, and as a matter of interest for himself and the undersigned
observers, The writer is a graduate aeronautical engineer and has worked
at NASA, Lockheed and Curtiss Wright in flight test and aircraft perfore-
mance since 1942. He is therefore reasonably qualified to distinguish
usual and unusual flying objects.

It would be greatly appreciated if you could give any information
that might indicate what these objects were. Plesse contact the writer
at the above eddress.

Very truly yours,

writer
Observer
Observer

/i
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{ ‘ER SHEET i "SUSPENSE

_— - —-

ORIGIN OF BASIC DATE

ASSIGNED BY

DATE | ~ | WUMBER 7

SUBJECT

Sighting by <—pe~r

Initial "{N" column to denote review prior to action. Initia: "OUT" column to denote review of completed action.
(X for action; Wfor coordination. )

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SATIS-3, ATTN: Maj. L. J. Tacker "29 April 1959

FROM: COMMENT NUMBER
APCINeLE 1
[NTS(Use reverse, if necessar — oor tous a = Ly - . —aeniiess
seers th sale = \Ehe/iiaj Prdend/ac/69216/Blag 263
1. The possibility of Mr. Fn seeing one of the satellites and its
carrier was considered. Upon c » 1% was determined no known satellites were
in the area at time of sighting. ;

2. Assuming the figure of two degrees per second and 50,000 feet altituda,
the speed would be around 600 knots, which is within the speed range of jet aire
craft. It is quite possible the objects were at a lower altitude than 50,000 feet;
however, a small error in the witnesses’ estimate of time would have a large effect

upon the resultant speed.

3. The aAliC conclusion is that in all probability the witnesses saw aircraft
lightse

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1 Inel: “H. K. GILBERT
Cy ltr dtd / Colonel, USAF
iz 9 AFCIN|}E
fr ah
AF iQ ges 54 0-86 PERVIOUS EDITIONS OF THIS FCRM MAY GE USED. GPO 8785238

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29 May 1959

Dear oC,

This is to aclmmnowledge and thank you for your letter of
12 April 1959 concerning an unidentified flying object Sighting
es Caldwell, New Jersey on id March 1959.

Assuaing the Ligure of two degrees per second and 59,000
feet altitude, the speed of the object would be approximately
600 mots, which is within the speed range of current jet
aircraft.

The Aix Technical Intelligence Center conclusion is that
in all probability you witnessed aircrart Lights.

Sincerely,

LAWRENCE J. TACKER

Major, USAP

Executive Orficer

Public Information Division
Orfice of Information Services

mal

Morristown, N. J., U.S. A.

RADIO AND TELEVISION PROGRAMMING

MUNSICK MUSIC LIBRARY

U. F. O. NEWSLETTER

PUBLIC RELATIONS 12 June

Commanding Officer

Air Technical Intelligence Center
United States Air Force
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Dayton, Ohio

Deer Sir,

On 25 May I sent to your office a photo
graph and report involving strange objects apparently
between Denville, New Jersey am the moon on the
night of 18 March 1959.

As yet I have received neither an eclnowled feme nt
nor reply in this case. While 4 certainly appreciate
such evaluation would teke time, T would appreciate

it if you could inform me if the matertisl wes received
at your office,

Should you require further information please
let me know, If you did not receive the informetion
I shall send a ‘een CODY.

Sincerely yours,

REPLY TO
ATIN OF:

SUBJECT:

TOs

oye a +e ee Fe Pb emer ee ee Oy Oo = Se eel ela ahaa on -->
_

AiR TECHNICAL INTELLIGENCE CENTER
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

| WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE

5" OID

19 Jun 59

APOLNelDha/Mr, Davis/7h295

*"Moon Objects"

AFCINehEh

Attn: Maj. Friend
®

l. The photograph you submitted for analysis was scrutinized for
an explanation of the 3) "moon objects® that appsar in the immedi-
ate area of the moon, The history of ths photograph and its prior
analysis was studied and found to be quite interesting, The "moon
objects" indeed appear to be images rather than scratches, spots,
Q@ustmarks, etc. The quality of the photograph is good and reflects
the work of a professional type photographer,

2» S8afore this office can offer an explanation for the "moon objects"
it will be necessary to acquires the original negative, preferably
together with the remainder of the roll film,

3. Should you desire further analysis of tho photography, it is

suzgested that contact be-made with i AEs 2 3129%05043
foy further analysis,

forwarding the film to

2 Atchs
1, Report
APCD Ie4Dy 2. Photograph

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13 MWe SF

| —

"y
Wi
ee

Dear mea”

Your letter of 12 June 1959 concerning photo-
raph you submitted to Air Technical Intelligence
Center has been referred to this office for reply.

ved at the Cente’

Subject photograph was recei
ess of being analyzed.

and it is presently ia the proc

Sincerely,

LAWRENCE J. TACKER

Mejor, USAF

Executive Officer

Public [Information [ivision
Office of Informat.on Services

stown, New Jersey

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| — Te &
gon REPORT ON "NOON-OBJECTS" PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN BY
Filed 9 May 1959 by

New Jersey, U. S. A. All rights reserved. ' Case Report Two

At approximately 8:50 p.m. EST, Wednesday 18 March 1959, Jesse
Wilson of 8 Myers Avenue, Denville, NN. J., took the first of a series
of photographs of the moon through 4 3” refractor telescope. Mr.
Wilson has been interested in amateur astronomy for some years, and
has built several telescopes himself, including the one he was using
that night. He has taken literally hundreds of pictures of the moon,
both as a hobby and as a means of checking his equipment. The lunar
studies have been acclaimed as exceptionally fine by many photographe
ers and astronomers.

cesse Wilson is a professional photographer and laboratory tech-
nicien. He makes his living by taking pictures for local newspapers,
insurance and real-estate offices, industrial concerns and the like,
and by processing photographs for local photo stores.

He hes made a habit of taking a telescope to his back yard on
food nights, to photograph the moon. On this evening, he had a group
of neighbors on hand to look at the moon in the cool, crisp evening
air, which offered excellent "viewing." Afterward, he set up the
equipment to take his photogranhs, and proceded to take a dozen pic-
tures. They were all taken with a Super Ikonto "B" Camera with an
£ 2.8 lens set at infinity on Tri-X film, shutter setting 1/25th sec.
The telescope is approximately 33 power, 48 inch focal length, At
about 8:50 the moon was approximately 48° above the horizon, roughly
SSE from the viewing position.

Mr. Wilson aligned his telescope and camera, snapped the first
photo (the one in question), recocked his camera (with a crank, thus
making it virtually impossible to get a double exposure; the cranking
resets the shutter after the film has been moved to its next position),
reset the telescope to compensate for the earth's movement, and took
the next photo. The process takes probably no more than SO seconds
at the most.

Yhen Mr. Wilson developed the roll of film with type DK60A devel-
oper he noticed a streak of odd spots on the first exposure, ‘hen a
print was made, they proved to be 54 fish-tail like objects in en
arcing line, apparently rushing away from the moon. The "tails" all
aim into the southwest quadrant but ere not all pointing in the exact
same Cirection.

The images generally fall into twd groups; the left-hand one of
13 objects larger, apparently clinser to the camera, and farther apart.
The rightehand group of 21 more closely spaced, smaller, and more
evenly distributed in almost a straight line.

The moon is not quite in focus and it has been assumed that the
telescope was focused just short of the moon, Although it is diffi-
cult to tell, the images of the strange objects seem to be in near-
perfect rTocus., Because of the short-exposure no stars or other p
objects are in sight although the moon itself is clearly pictured.

No other exposures on the same roll of film show seny peculilari-
ties, and Mr. Wilson says he has never before captured any such odd
objects on film with the same equipment. They were not seen visually.

Mr. Wilson showed the film to Robert W. Munn of Lake Parsippany,
N. Je, & Photo technician and amateur astronomer who notified I%.
Munsick in Morristown. The camera and telescope were both checked
for light leaks or odd reflections; none were found. The telescons
has'a large dewecap to overcome reflections and outside light. The
photos are taken with the camera lens held against the eyepiece of
the telescope,

The film was rigorously studied under magnification. The images
ere clearly that and not impsrfections, dust~spots, scratches, or
other irregularities on the film itself.