Project 10073 Record Card — Colorado Springs, Colorado, 17 December 1957

This document consists of a Project 10073 Record Card and associated field reports regarding an aerial sighting that occurred on December 17, 1957, at 1806 MST in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A civilian witness, identified as a 36-year-old construction engineer, reported seeing an object that resembled a comet streak. The object was described as having a roundish front, tapering toward the rear, with sparks and a bluish-white color. The witness estimated the size to be that of a pea and noted that there was no sound. The object traveled west toward Pikes Peak and was visible for approximately two to three seconds. Weather conditions at the time were reported as clear with unlimited visibility and no clouds in the direction of the sighting. The report notes that 1LT William T. Niven of the ADC Intelligence Support Division also observed the object at the same time and direction, concluding that it was a shooting star. The official conclusion recorded on the card is that the description, flight path, and duration are consistent with a meteor. Additional pages include a list of other observers in Colorado, including service station attendants and a butcher, as well as a reference to a US Naval Security Group Activity. A separate note from Captain John C. Cross, USAF, mentions a preliminary analysis of a possible sighting involving a jet passing the line of sight with the planet Venus, though this appears to be a separate or supplementary entry within the report file.