Incident #255 and Incident #273 Sighting Reports — Albuquerque and Los Alamos, New Mexico, February 1949

This document is a report of investigation issued by the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) at Kirtland Air Force Base, dated March 23, 1949. It summarizes several inconclusive reports of anomalous luminous phenomena observed in the New Mexico and west Texas region during February 1949. The report specifically details two incidents, designated as Incident 255 and Incident 273. Incident 255 occurred on February 17, 1949, near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The observer, a professor of civil engineering at the University of New Mexico with a background in meteoritics, reported an elliptical, brilliant white object that shifted to a peach color as it climbed. The object was observed for approximately six to nine minutes, moving from west to east before making a definite turn to the south. The observer noted that the object appeared spherical at first but became elongated, and as it turned, it bent around the corners in a manner similar to a piece of bent pipe. Incident 273 occurred on February 27, 1949, near the Los Alamos, New Mexico, airstrip. The observer, an officer with the Atomic Energy Security Service, reported a green-white light moving across the northern sky toward the east. This object was visible for only two seconds and traveled parallel to the earth's surface. The observer noted that it did not leave a trail and did not appear to be a meteor. The report concludes that these sightings are inconclusive but represent significant departures from the usual behavior of phenomena in the region. The document includes various forms and correspondence related to the investigation, including statements from the observers and internal routing slips between Kirtland Air Force Base and the Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.