PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD — Brooksville, Florida, 18 May 1956

On May 18, 1956, at 1850 EST, a civilian witness in Brooksville, Florida, reported observing an unidentified aerial object. The witness described the object as round, silver, and approximately the size of a marble when held at arm's length. The object was observed for a duration of two hours and twelve minutes, during which it was seen ascending on a straight course before fading abruptly at 90 degrees overhead. The witness reported that the object made no sound. Military authorities at MacDill Air Force Base conducted an investigation, which included checking with the local weather station to confirm that no weather balloons had been released at the time of the sighting. Furthermore, radar reports were reviewed, and it was determined that the object was not painted on radar. The official evaluation concluded that the object was the star Spica. The report notes that the star was in the correct position to meet the requirements of the observed elevation and that the object's characteristics were consistent with an astronomical body.