Project 10073 Record Card — Utica, New York, 27 Dec 55

On December 27, 1955, between 1110Z and 1145Z, two witnesses traveling on the New York State Thruway west of Utica, New York, observed an unidentified aerial object. The witnesses, a 28-year-old male cost estimator and a 32-year-old female, described the object as round, luminous, and appearing similar to a star. The object was estimated to be at an altitude of 10,000 feet and appeared stationary for approximately 30 to 40 minutes. During the observation, the object reportedly turned a brilliant red color before disappearing. The weather conditions at the time were noted as overcast with light snowfall. The report, filed by FLT 3-D 462D AISS at Syracuse Air Force Station, was submitted in compliance with AFR 200-2. The Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) evaluated the report and concluded that the object was likely a meteor or fireball, noting that the sighting characteristics were consistent with such phenomena, despite the unusual duration of the observation.