UFOB Index Card — Bernalillo, New Mexico, 26 July 1956

This document is a UFOB Index Card (AISS-UFOB-223-56) detailing a civilian sighting that occurred on July 26, 1956, in Bernalillo, New Mexico. The witness reported observing a single, large object for approximately three hours. The object was described as being about three feet in diameter when held at arm's length, appearing almost round with rays extending outward. Its color was described as bright orange, resembling fire, and it was noted to be brighter than an automobile headlight at several yards. The object made no sound and was observed to rise slowly in the sky and move upward over the course of the three-hour duration. The witness observed the object both visually and through 7x50 binoculars. The report was processed via AF Form 112 and forwarded by the 34th Air Division (Defense) at Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB). The evaluating headquarters concluded that the sighting was an optical illusion caused by the planet Venus, citing a temperature inversion in the area as a contributing factor. The report notes that the source was unable to provide specific elevation and azimuth data, which limited the evaluation.