Project 10073 Record Card: Washington D.C. Sighting, 2 April 1952

This document file contains a Project 10073 record card and associated correspondence regarding a photographic sighting in Washington, D.C., on April 2, 1952. A geologist from the U.S. Geological Survey's Alaskan Trace Elements Unit submitted a night photograph to the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The witness, who took the 20-minute time exposure at 2330 hours, reported seeing nothing moving in the sky during the exposure and requested an explanation for a circled object appearing on the print. The witness initially requested that the photograph not be published. The ATIC requested the original negative for analysis. Following an examination by their photography section, the ATIC concluded that the object was not an aerial phenomenon. Their findings suggested the image was a 'static-mark' caused by a slight abrasion on the film, or potentially a small, unresolved portion of the developing agent that became attached to the negative during processing. The ATIC also noted that the film's fog-density measurements were high, suggesting the use of old film, high developer temperatures, or high-energy developer. The case was closed with the conclusion that the spot was a photographic artifact.