U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheet — Lexington, Kentucky, 31 January 1953

This document is a U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheet detailing a sighting of an unidentified aerial phenomenon reported by a 13-year-old male in Lexington, Kentucky, on January 31, 1953. The witness, who was leaving dancing school at approximately 10:30 P.M., observed a single, oval-shaped, yellowish object that appeared to resemble the color of hot metal. According to the witness, the object initially appeared small and vaguely defined in the northeast sky. Over a period of 5 to 10 seconds, it grew larger and became sharp and clear, as if approaching the observer. The object then moved slowly across the sky toward the southeast, maintaining a constant distance from the horizon, before stopping, growing smaller, and fading out completely over another 5 to 10 seconds. The total duration of the observation was approximately 40 seconds. The witness noted that the object emitted no sound and exhibited no wobbling motion. He explicitly compared the object to an 'oversized egg covered with self-luminous paint.' The witness also noted that the object's movement was almost opposite to the wind direction at the time and that the moon was visible but in a different location with different characteristics. The witness estimated the object's altitude at approximately 2,500 feet. The Air Force evaluation concluded that the sighting was 'Possibly Meteor observation' and categorized it as 'Astro (METEOR).' The report includes a series of standardized questions regarding the observer's location, weather conditions, and the physical characteristics of the object, as well as sketches provided by the witness illustrating the object's shape and path.