Project 10073 Record Card — Castorville, Texas, October 1959

On October 10, 1959, at approximately 2015 Zulu, a maintenance chief stationed at Randolph Air Force Base observed an unidentified object four miles west-southwest of Castorville, Texas. The witness, who was using 7x35 Bushnell binoculars, described the object as orange, fire-colored, and cigar-shaped, with a size comparable to a grapefruit and feathery edges. The object was oriented vertically and appeared to move slowly downward toward the horizon over a duration of 20 minutes. The weather conditions at the time were reported as clear with scattered clouds at 3,500 feet. Military authorities conducted an investigation, which included contacting local Air Force base towers, the AC&W GCI at Lackland Air Force Base, and the San Antonio Center radar; all inquiries yielded negative results. Despite the lack of radar confirmation, the investigating officer noted that the observers were sincere, intelligent, and stable individuals. The final analysis concluded that the sighting was likely an isolated cloud glowing in the rays of the setting sun, with the perceived vertical motion being an illusion caused by the sun's position.