Project 10073 Record Card — Sighting Report, Champaign, Illinois, 23 September 1960

This document is a formal report regarding an Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) sighting that occurred on September 23, 1960, in Champaign, Illinois. The report was generated by the Chanute Technical Training Center of the United States Air Force and forwarded to the Air Technical Intelligence Center (ATIC) in accordance with Air Force Regulation 200-2. Two young witnesses, aged 14, reported observing a yellowish-white, oval-shaped object in the sky for approximately ten minutes. They described the object as being four times the size of the Echo I satellite, noting that it appeared to wobble, followed a straight flight path, stopped, and eventually faded from sight. The witnesses were observing the stars when they first noticed the object at approximately 0040Z. The weather conditions at the time were reported as clear with calm winds. The investigating officer, 1st Lieutenant Joseph K. Nevins, conducted an assessment of the report. He noted that the witnesses were young and impressionable, suggesting that their estimations of time and angles were likely inaccurate. However, he acknowledged their consistency regarding the object's shape, size, and color. Lieutenant Nevins concluded that the object was likely a high-altitude jet aircraft reflecting sunlight, even though the sun had already set at the time of the observation. He explicitly ruled out the possibility of a balloon, citing that the object's movement was counter to the winds at all altitudes, and stated that no known satellites could account for the visual effect observed. The report includes detailed meteorological data from the Chanute Air Weather Service, including wind direction, velocity, and temperature gradients at various altitudes, to support the investigation. The document also notes that the witnesses were aware of the Echo I satellite at the time of their observation and that the object was traveling in the opposite direction. The report was copied to Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a prominent figure in UFO research.