Project 10073 Record Cards and Technical Information Sheets — Dayton, Ohio, 18 February 1959

This document contains two separate Project 10073 record cards and associated U.S. Air Force Technical Information Sheets regarding unidentified aerial phenomena reported in Dayton, Ohio, on February 18, 1959. The first report involves a civilian witness, Mrs. David Deak, who observed a round, red and blue object that appeared to move from side to side and turn. The object was visible for over an hour and was initially thought to be a star. Upon investigation, the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) concluded that the object was the star Sirius, noting that a check with astro charts confirmed its position. The second report involves a male witness who, while walking his dog at approximately 10:40 PM, observed a fiery, orange-yellowish object falling vertically. The witness described the object as being the size of a basketball at arm's length and noted it was visible for only 5 to 10 seconds before disappearing below the horizon. ATIC investigators concluded that the description, time, duration, and flight path were typical of a meteor. Both reports were processed by ATIC Duty Officer Gerald F. Mahone on February 18, 1959. The documentation includes the original questionnaires filled out by the witnesses, which provide details on their observations, including the use of binoculars in the first instance, and the weather conditions at the time, which were noted as dry and cold with scattered clouds.