Project 10073 Record Card — Dayton, Ohio, 23 October 1956

On October 23, 1956, at 2145 EST, a civilian witness in Dayton, Ohio, observed an unidentified aerial phenomenon. The witness reported seeing a single, sharply outlined object, approximately the size of a nickel, which emitted a red glow. The object appeared to be stationary in the southern sky, though the witness noted it seemed to move fast at times and remained in sight for approximately 20 minutes. The witness was accompanied by their spouse and brother during the observation. The weather conditions were reported as clear, dry, and cool with a slight breeze. The witness completed a U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheet, noting that the object was brighter than the background sky and appeared to stand still, though they also checked boxes indicating it seemed to speed up and change brightness. The official conclusion recorded on the Project 10073 Record Card by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) identified the object as the planet Mars, noting that its position at 210 degrees azimuth and 55 degrees elevation approximated the reported location of the object.