Project 10073 Record Card and Incident Report — Harlowton, Montana, 17 August 1954

On August 17, 1954, at approximately 0630Z, a sighting of an unidentified aerial object was reported near Harlowton, Montana. The witness, a 31-year-old medical doctor, observed a large, round, bright object that appeared star-like. The object was noted to move very slowly, occasionally disappearing and reappearing in different positions. It exhibited frequent color changes and possessed a continuously glowing orange rim. The observation took place at night under clear skies with scattered strato-cumulus clouds, with the object positioned at an angle of 30 degrees above the horizon. The witness, identified as a reliable source, utilized a twenty-power sighting scope after observing the object visually for several minutes. The total duration of the sighting was one hour, after which the object gradually faded from view. Military authorities at the 29th Air Division at Great Falls Air Force Base processed the report, which was subsequently forwarded to the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) and the Air Defense Command. The official conclusion reached by the evaluating agency was that the object was the planet Mars, noting that the planet's characteristics fit the description provided by the witness. No physical evidence or unusual activity was associated with the event.