Project 10073 Record Card — Hamden, Ohio, 22 December 1951

This document collection details a sighting report from 22 December 1951 in Hamden, Ohio. A civilian witness reported an unidentified aerial object that appeared to be following their automobile while traveling on State Route 75 toward Wellston. The witness described the object as being too bright to be a star, circular in shape with fire around the edges, and appearing to be about the size of a bushel basket at a distance of 8-10 miles. The object reportedly doubled in size and brilliancy over a 20-minute period and remained visible until daylight. The report was initially phoned into the Lockborne Flight Service and subsequently handled by 1st Lt. Edward J. Ruppelt of the 1125th USAF Field Activities Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Following an investigation, the Air Force concluded that the object was a celestial body, specifically identifying it as one of the planets (Mars, Venus, Spica, or Saturn) visible in the southeast sky along the ecliptic, with Venus being the brightest. The witness, who had experience as a weather observer during World War II, initially believed the object was an unusual phenomenon but later accepted the Air Force's explanation, though they expressed frustration that tower operators were not better informed about such celestial events to avoid confusion. The file includes the original Project 10073 record card, correspondence between Lt. Ruppelt and the witness, and an extract from a status report.