Project 10073 Record Card — Arcata, California, 9 April 1960

This document details the investigation of a UFO sighting reported by a civilian in Arcata, California, on 9 April 1960. The witness, an amateur astronomer and newspaper photographer, captured a photograph of the setting sun through an 8-inch telescope. Upon developing the film, he observed a spherical object in the image. He submitted the photographs and negatives to the Air Force for analysis. The Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) conducted a thorough review of the materials, consulting with experts in the Air Sciences Division, the Photo Processing Branch, and the Equipment Support Branch. The official Air Force conclusion was that the object was not a physical entity but rather a defect in the photographic emulsion. The report notes that the witness strongly disagreed with this assessment, providing a detailed technical argument for why the object was a real, spherical, translucent entity in the atmosphere, potentially 10 to 400 feet in diameter. The Air Force maintained its position, citing that the spot was a common type of emulsion defect and that no diffraction was detectable. The correspondence includes technical data regarding the telescope's specifications, weather conditions at the time of the sighting, and the subsequent exchange between the witness and the Air Force regarding the validity of the photographic evidence. The case was ultimately closed with the determination that the object was an artifact.