Project 10073 Record Card — Indianapolis, Indiana, 31 Aug 60

This document is a Project 10073 record card and associated technical information sheets detailing a UFO sighting reported in Indianapolis, Indiana, on August 31, 1960. The witness, an employee of a local Chevrolet dealership, reported observing 17 stationary objects for approximately one and a half hours, beginning around midnight. The witness described the objects as slightly larger than a pinhead, changing colors between vivid purple, red, and amber, with smaller green specks appearing on the sides. The witness also noted that occasionally a light would shine down from the objects. The witness was interviewed by Air Force personnel, who noted that the witness appeared to believe the objects were extraterrestrial in origin, despite having contacted the Weather Bureau for an explanation. The official Air Force conclusion attributed the sighting to a combination of first-magnitude stars and the planet Mars, which were visible near the horizon. Investigators concluded that a temperature inversion caused these astronomical bodies to appear higher than their actual positions and induced the reported color changes. Supporting documentation includes a report from Captain Waldrop of Flight Service, who independently suggested the object was Venus and noted that Flight Service had received three other UFO reports on the night of August 30, 1960.