Scientific Study of Unidentified Flying Objects (the Condon Report, complete, three volumes)

TI,e principal difficulty with this explanation, besides havin~
to hypothesize the existence of the mlrag(~-'rrorJucinglaycr, is how
to account for the anisotropy of the mirage. Anisotropy (If this sort,
i.e. a mirage limited to certain viewin~ azimuths, is common in earth-
bound mirages when viewed from a single location. But a mirage layer
through which a reflected image could be seen only in one, constant
principal direction (plus a fe...; small "sate llite" images) over a
distance of 85 n. mi. is quit2 unusual.
TIlere reMains the slim possibility that the aircraft itself
produced the mirage layer through intensification (by compression
induced by the shock wave of the aircraft's pa,ssage through the
ail') of a barely suberi tical layer, i. e. one in wId ch the temperature
gradient is just a little bit le~,s than the value required to produce
a Jrtirage. TI,is h>'pothesis would satisfy the directional requirement
of the sighting, but the resulting scheme of hypotheses is too
speculative to form an acceptable solution to the incident.
11,is unusual sighting should therefore be assigned to the
category of some almost certainly natural phenomenon, which is so
rare that it apparently has never been reported before aT since.
304-B. Odessa, Wash., 10 December 1952, 1915 LST. Weather:
clear above undercJst at 3,000 ft.; aircraft at 26,000-27,000 ft.
T",o ri'ots in an F-94 aircraft sighted a large, round white object
"18 rger th an any known type of ai reraft. " A Jim reddish·-whi te light
seemed to come from two "windows." It appeared to be able to
"reverse direction almost instantly," and did a dlandcllc in front
of the ai-reraft. After this ~hc object appeared to rush toward the
aircraft head-on aud then would "sudd(~nly stop and be pulling off."
TIle pilot banied a~ay to avoid an ~prarently immblcnt collision,
and lost visual contact. Fi.fteen minutos later the aircraft radar
picked up something whichlhe crew assumcu was the UFO, although there
210
TI,e principal difficulty with thi~ explanation, besides havin~
to hypothesize the c)..istence of the mlrage--prodllcing laycr, is how
to accotll't for the anisotropy of the mirage. Anisotropy (If this sOJ't,
i,e. a mirage Hmi ted to certain viewing azimt:tils, is common in earth-
bound mirages when viewed from a single location. But a mirage layer
through which a reflected image could be seen enly in one, constant
principal direction (plus a fe~; small "satellite" images) over a
distance of 85 n. mi. is quit-> unusual.
TIl ere reMains the slim nossibility that the aircraft itself
produced the mirage layer through intensification (by compression
induced by the shock wave of the aircraft's pa.ssage through the
ail') of a barely subcri tical layer. i. e. one in wid ch the temperature
gradient is just a little bit le~s than the value required to produce
a l~irage. TIlis h>"pothesis would satisfy the directional requirement
of the sighting, but the resulting scheme of hypotheses is too
speculative to form an acceptable solution to the incident.
TIlis unusual sighting should therefore be assigned to the
category of some almost certainly natural phenomenon, whlch Is so
rare that it apparently has never been reported before or since.
304-B. Odessa, Wash., 10 December 1952, 1915 LST. Weather:
clear above undercJst at 3,000 ft.; aircraft at 26,000-27,000 ft.
TIo'o pi 1.ots in an F-94 aircraft Sighted a large, round wlli te object
"larger th,m any kIlOI'm type of aircraft." A uim J'nldish--white light
seemed to coml' frum two "windows." It appeared to be able to
"reverse direction almost inst~ntly," and did a ,;handcllc in front
of the aircraft. After this ~hc object appeared to ru!;h towilrd the
aircraft head-on <illd then would "::;ud,\enly stop and be pulling off."
TIlE~ pilot banl.ed aNay to ilvojd an ,'pparclItlyimmillCJlt l:ollision,
and lost visual contact. Fi.fteen minutes Inter the aircraft radar
picked up something which Lhe crew assumed was the UFO, although there
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