Declassified UFO / UAP Document
Project 10073 Record Card — Sighting near Palm Springs, California, 8 April 1958
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AI-Generated Summary
A sighting of a stationary white object with a red exhaust near Palm Springs, California, was reported on 8 April 1958. The military investigation concluded there was insufficient data for a definitive evaluation, though officials noted the potential for weather balloons to appear colored at dawn.
This document consists of a Project 10073 record card and associated teletype communications regarding an Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) sighting reported on 8 April 1958, northeast of Palm Springs, California. The witness, identified as an ex-airline hostess, reported observing a single, stationary object for approximately 30 minutes. The object was described as a white ball with a bright red exhaust. The report notes that the witness could not provide specific details regarding the object's size, shape, or precise direction. The sighting occurred at dawn, which is noted in the margins as a time when conventional objects can appear unusual. The report was processed through military channels, including the 12th Air Division at March Air Force Base and the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC). M/Sgt Perston B. Kidwell of Base Operations suggested the possibility of a weather balloon release. An ATIC evaluator provided a handwritten comment noting that balloons observed near dawn or dusk frequently exhibit orange-red or maroon coloration due to the sun's slant rays. However, the official conclusion remained that there was insufficient data for a proper evaluation, citing the absence of critical information such as size, shape, and precise azimuth. The document includes meteorological data provided by the weather station at March AFB, though this data does not appear to have provided a definitive explanation for the sighting.
ATIC Comment: Repeatedly proven over 12 years that balloons seen near dusk or dawn will glow orange-red - cherry red - maroon - color due to the slant rays of the sun.
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Official Assessment
Insufficient data for proper evaluation.
The object was described as a white ball with a bright red exhaust that remained stationary before disappearing. ATIC commented that balloons seen near dusk or dawn often glow orange-red due to the slant rays of the sun, but the lack of data prevented a definitive evaluation.
Key Persons
- Perston B. KidwellNCOIC Base Operations
- Capt LoserWeather Station personnel