Documents / Report
This is the final report of the Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects, conducted by the University of Colorado under Air Force contract F44620-67-C-0035, with Edward U. Condon as scientific director and Daniel S. Gillmor as editor. It was submitted to the National Academy of Sciences on 15 November 1968 for review. The report includes field studies, photographic and radar analyses, case studies, historical chapters and appendices such as the Robertson Panel report and the Twining letter.
red and green flashes, then later steady white) rIsIng in the east
(only motion was slow gain in altitude, "[I believe] that the object
did not move with respect to the stars in its vicini ty"). r:PS-5 radar
painted a single pi;J at 85° azimuth, range 165 mi., which operator re-
garded as interference. Visual object was horesighted with radar antenna
and azimuth read as 91° ~ 2°. Elevation eftimateJ as 15° initially
(2230 LST). No stars brighter than magnitude ~ were in this azimuth
between 0° and 30° elevation angle at that time, Rlue Book file suggests
Deneb or Regulus as likely objects, but their positions arc far away
from the sighted object. in view of two ohservers' comments that light
"shown from beneath" object, it is very prohahle that they saw a lighted
Pibal balloon, possibly launched from the Russian-held Kurile Islands
to the east and northe&st of lIokkaido (launch time 1200 GMT). The
investigating officer noted the exceptionally good visihility prev~lent
in the area on clear nights.
1306-B. Edwards ArB, Kernville, Calif., 30 July 1967,2217-2400 LST.
Weather: clear, calm, warm (83°F). 1~0 civilians reported ohserving
one or two blue. star-likp obj ects tl,at appeared to circle. bob, and
zig~ag about a seemingly fixed stUI'; these objects "instantly disappeared"
about 1 hr. 4S min. after sighting. Edwards AFB RAPCON radar picked
l.1p "something" at about 2230 LST "for several sweeps. II Blip seemed
to be moving south at about 50-60 mph. l~ere is no apparent connection
between the radar anJ dsual reports. The visual IJFO did not appear to
move ~t 50-60 mph. Data, including weather dat~, on this report Brc
insufficient to form an opinion. 'l1\e most like~y possibil ity scems to
he that the visual UFO consisted of the dirc~t image plus one or two reflected
images of the "fixed star" that the observer reported. What may have
produced the reflected images remains conjectural. For example, a
turbulent layer of air with strong temperature contrast~ could produce
images Rimilar to those described by the witnesses. 1~e instantaneous
di~nppealnncc of the lIF()s is consistent: wlth an ol'tical phenomenon.
182
red and green flashes, then later steady white) rising in the east
(only motion was slow gain in altitude, "[I believe) that the object
did not move with respect to the stars in its vicinity"). c:rS-5 radar
painted a single piT' at 85° azimuth, range 165 mi., which operator re-
garded as interference. Visual object was horesighted with radar antenna
and azimuth read as 91 0 ~ 2°. Elevation e~ti.mated as 15° initially
(2230 LST). No stars brighter than mRgnitude ~ wore in this azimuth
between 0° and 30° elevation angle at that time. Blue Book file suggests
Deneb or Regulus as likely objects, but their positions are far away
from the sighted object. In view of two ohservers' comments that light
"shown from beneath" object, it is very probable that they saw a lighted
Pibal balloon, possibly launched from the Russian-held Kurile Islands
to the eaST and norther.st of lIokkaido (launch time 1200 GMT). The
investigating officer noted the exceptiollally good visibility prcvelent
in the area on clear nigh~s.
1306-B. Edwards Al"B, Kernville, Calif., 30 July 1967,2217-2400 LST.
WeatheT: clear, calm, "arm (83°F). Two civilians reported observing
one or two blue. star-lik!> objects that appeared to circle, hob, and
zigzag abollt a seemingly fixed star; these object~ "instantly disappeared"
about 1 hr. 4S min. after sightiug. Edwards AFB RAPCON radar picked
11p "something" at about 2230 LST "for several sweeps." Blip seemed
to be moving south at about 50-60 mph. l~ere is no apparent connection
between the radar anJ v isual reports. The vi Silill IJFO did not appear to
move fit S0-60 mph. Data, including weather dat'.!, on this l'eport are
insufficient to form an opinion. 'Ole most like~y possibil ity seems to
he that the visual UFO consisted of the diro~t image plus one or two reflected
images of the "fj xed staT" that th(' observer reported. Wha t milY have
produced the reflected images remains conjectural. POT example, a
turbulent layer of air wi til strong temperature contnlsts could produce
images similar to those described by the witnesses. The instantaneous
di~nprealancc of the UFns is consistent, I'll th an optical phenomenon.
182 Report, from the classic collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 1497 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.