PROJECT 10073 RECORD CARD — Canal Zone, Panama, 19 December 1957

This document consists of a Project 10073 Record Card and associated teletype communications regarding an unidentified aerial phenomenon observed in the Canal Zone, Panama, on 19 December 1957 at 0335Z. Two observers reported seeing a round object, described as being the size of a nickel or dime at arm's length, exhibiting rapid movement and intense light. The first observer described the object as an orange-yellow ball with a blue-white trail, while the second observer described it as a blue-white ball with a yellow-red tail. The sighting lasted between seven and ten seconds. The object's flight path was described as appearing to be an orbit, observed at an altitude of 10-15 degrees from the horizon. The report notes that no radar contact was made and no photographs were taken. The official conclusion reached by the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) is that the description and duration of the object are consistent with those of a meteor. The documentation includes teletype messages sent from the Commander of the Caribbean Air Command (CAIRC) to the Air Defense Command (ADC), the Air Technical Intelligence Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and the Director of Intelligence at HEDUSAF, confirming the details of the sighting and the subsequent evaluation.